lending a hand
You can point students in the right directions but shouldn't do things for them. The student solving their own problems, with a little direction,is how they learn to grow.
Well done, interactive demo's would put the instructor and the student on the same playing field,if only for a brief time. They would feel part of the experience. Mentoring!
One of the things I have started doing is interactive demonstration's which seem's to have improved the student's retention for the course material.
i found this to be the biggest hurdle to over come when i started teaching. it was difficult for me to just sit back and watch. we have started to do a few more demo's and added more detail directions to our lecture which has helped. a lot times though, the students just want a small amount of direction or to just check how they are coming along, i do believe that the majority want to do the work themselves.
I found this to be true for the students that are here to learn but fine in much harder for the students that are here because MY Mother Insisted. Trying to turn this type of student around is very hard - sometimes it can be done and other time it can't, so when do you give up and just pass them on. The time for me is when they show that they are not willing to try and learn but just want the answers. I have students who want to learn and are willing to do what is needed to learn, these are the students that make it worth the stress, extra work, going the extra mile to see someone learn.
i have learned that if i walk a studednt through the steps of the task and not do it for them they will learn and retain much faster
Hi Sheila,
Good strategy. You also help the student to understand the relevance of what you are teaching because they will soon have to do it themselves.
Gary
Hi Sarah,
As the instructor you can help students to understand and grow in their knowledge and skills. They do have to stand on their own knowledge as they complete their training, because if they don't they won't be able to succeed in the work world. You make a good point.
Gary
If you must do something for a student, walk them through the steps again, and simply give them another problem to do on their own. Once a student knows that they will have to do it on their own, they will focus more on the demonstration instead of thinking, "Oh, if I ask for help, then I won't have to do it".
It seems the more you do for students (instead of them doing it themselves)the less they do. It quickly becomes a cluch, help the student but don't do it for them. I believe they learn more that way.
