Joshua,
Right you are in relation to helping students see the applications that can be made outside of the classroom or lab into the real world. This is what we should be about as we offer our instruction and content.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Terri,
Passion for one's field and enthusiasm for teaching are two elements that set the stage for successful teaching. You make a good point about being excited what you are teaching.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think it comes down to application outside of the classroom and the instructors ability to narrow the gap between classroom and real world. Helping students engage in the concepts with their own experiences while helping them understand how this knowledge will serve them in the future keeps them on task and motivated to do more.
Be excited about the subject you are teaching ,give the students a project to work on in groups . I think interacting together gets the student to get to know each other and learn to work as a team.
Kellie,
This is a great way to start them off. Being in the lab and being able to see where they are going to be working really increases their excitement about the upcoming course sessions.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Ricky,
This is what makes a class fun. Instructor enthusiasm increases the engagement of students as well as demonstrates to them the value of the content being taught.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Renee,
Good ways to keep your students engaged.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think bringing them into the lab right when they start to get a feel for what the profession is like..is a fun way to get them excited about what they are going to learn
I show my own enthusiasm about the subject, which is not hard for the classes I teach. Keeping up to date on the latest trends, what the manufactures are coming out with, knowing who won the last race are all things to start a conversation with, and relate to the class that day. It shows that I have a real interest in the subject, and encurages them to do the same.
I give occasional x-tra credit for scheduled lessons; also, give visual aids for anatomy to enhance learning for the visual learners.
Rhonda,
I use it a lot in my classes and I agree it is a great way to get students engaged and excited about the class content.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Ronald,
Passion for one's content and enthusiasm for teaching are two elements needed for teaching success. So we need to make both a part of our instructional planning effort.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Role play is a fun way to get the students excited
I believe that one way of motivating students in the classroom is to show your excitement for the subject matter.
Holli,
The more variety the better when it comes to sharing content. You are engaging your students through the different media forms and this is a way to offer application of the content being taught.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I like to add video content, including true stories and actual experiments (I tach psychology). Students seem to like the way the material is connected with this content. I had an instructor who used videos of her trips (in Anthropology class), and I loved it myself.
Joy,
Passion for one's field and enthusiasm about teaching are two essential elements needed for teaching success. It is for sure if we are not excited our students won't be either.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think the best way to get students excited about a course is for you, the instructor, to be excited about it. Teaching in a monotone voice and having little movement makes a class very lethargic. If the instructor shows their excitement and love for the topic, then it will rub off on students who want to get sucked in to your enthusiasm for the topic.
Stacey,
Sounds like a great opportunity for you and your career development. I am excited for you in this new endeavor. By having gone to school there you are familiar with how the school functions and how students perceive the school. You have been where they are and you can help them see how what you are teaching will help them to be successful using yourself as an example.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Fortunately, my new instructor's position is with the same technical college which I attended. Also, my program director and fellow instructor are the same instructors that were there when I was a student. Therefore, I am able to relate to my students. I do this by explaining, I understand where they are, because I was in their shoes at one point. Although I am firm with them (because this is the same style of instruction I am comfortable with and received when I attended), that little bit of empathy helps my students. It shows them that if they put their minds to it, they can achieve what they set out to do. I definitely explain that is not an easy road to tow, but it is attainable. Never in a million years did I think my Alma Mater would contact me to be an instructor, but it happened. I am using all of my experiences (in the classroom and physical world) to inspire and motivate my students to do their best.
