Some techniques that I have employ in the past to further develop, refine and enhance my instructional style is by constantly asking back for feed back from my students. The feedback can be just as simple as pausing and asking " do you have any questions, or suggestions" I also take each teaching day as a learning experience for myself. I will look at the day, what was done, what could have been done and better and I make improvements base on that. I will also direct my instruction base on the type of class and students that I have for that semester, I will naturally treak my teaching style base on whether or not I have a more experience and mature class vs. new high school graduates. So for me, I look at each day and try and find ways to improve on the instructions that I deliver as well as keeping up with new evidence base research, technique or product on the market.
This is a good idea in all and I bet that most of the time it works but sometimes you are teaching material that just isn't that interesting to be learning. So what do you then. It seems impossible to get them involved.
I feel like I have had a lot of students with medical problems with either themselves or their kids and that is difficult to deal with. You know they are smart and they would be doing much better in different circumstances. However you can agree with them on the importance of family. Puts you between a hard place and a rock.
I've begun doing some of this recently and would have to say I agree. I didn't ask for feedback but that is something I will implement for next time. Thanks for sharing.
I can further enhance my style by co-teaching with another instructor in my field, observing other program instructors and by having a peer critique my style and provide me with feedback.
I get to know each student as an individual. I stay after class to help them and love them very much.
I have found that shadowing other instructors and discussing their styles has helped me build a style of my own. While I haven't completely taken on their exact techniques, I have taken important points and made them my own. I think its great to shadow very experience instructors and pick their brains about techniques ranging from how to keep students motivated to how to successfully fill a four hour class. I think tools such as these classes have also been extremely helpful! I'm definitely glad that my employer requires that I complete these online courses. As a new instructor it has given me plenty of great ideas and taught me things that I may not have thought of or figured out by just watching someone else teach.
Hi Daniel!
I have also found that to be very effective. In our four hour clinical classes, lectures have a tendency to be long and if drawn out I'm positive the students would be bored. It's great to break the lectures up into chunks and give them hands on activities to do in between. I find that it keeps them focused and makes the class run much more smoothly. I know if I was in their shoes I wouldn't want to listen to myself talk for four hours straight!
I like to mentor the students, helping them find their way through the often intimidating world of career education.
Hi Daniel,
You are on the right track with your efforts. Students like demonstrations and with your demonstrations of basic electricity you are showing them application and relevancy in relation to their lives outside of the classroom. This really helps to keep them engaged and focused on the course.
Gary
Hi June,
What a great attitude you have about professional development. I like you have taught many years and yet it seems like every time I go to a conference or workshop I get something that I can add to my teaching toolbox.
It is as you say how we continue to grow and develop our expertise as instructors.
I wish you continued teaching success.
Gary
Right now I am developing simple demonstrations of basic electricity to aid the visual learners comprehension. My classes are 4 hours long and contain much the same information of a university first level physics class. I am trying not to be boring by breaking up the lectures into chunks manageable by the students.
Hi Jerry,
I wish you much success with this effort. Based upon my experience I know it will be valuable to and for the students. They will get the support they need when they need it.
Gary
Hi, Gary. I have taught for many years and am constantly amazed at all the new techniques and styles of learning being explored and perfected. I could use more hands-on/visual methods in my in-seat classes (such as PowerPoints). But I do use the board a lot. I will continue to take these development classes since they keep me focused on the art of teaching. I would love to use more visuals in my online classes as well. Meanwhile, I will continue to develop based upon student evals as well. Thanks. June
I am new to teaching. I have read many of the comments and will incorporate these into my new job.
I like the mentor mixup! We had a big brother system in school that was avaiable for 3 years.
This is a new school and I think creating a mentor program or big brother/sister will be a plus!
To improve your instructional style you need to constantly learn new approaches by taking classes, observing other instructors, and when possible video yourself, or have another instructor critique your class. Your goal should be constantly finding better ways to present the material so you reach the most students.
My classroom is always in flux. Developing technologies and emerging modalities combine to restructure delivery and content in an ongoing basis. As a technocrat I am ever learning new strategies to combine with these facile and imperfect roads.
Jim, this is so true. I used to think that evals were a thing to be tolerated and would be upset if I even got one bad comment until I realized that these were for my benefit, helpingme to find areas where I need to improve.
Use more visual aides to capture the students attention.
