Hi Amy,
With the professional development plan you have outlined for yourself you are going to be in good shape with your instructional efforts. You have great and extensive professional experiences that you bring to the classroom. By combining these experiences with your varied instructional efforts you are going to have many "ah-ha" moments with your students.
Happy teaching.
Gary
I think one important factor that most instructors overlook is feedback from the students. Most of them will give honest feedback whether they enjoyed the lesson plan for the day. Ofcourse, you don't want them to dictate your style but one can take many cues from their feedback.
Incorporate more teaching aids
That's a rather broad question and at least one of the reasons for taking this course. My teaching style is to engage the student's context with the course material in a number of ways. I attempt to accomplish that through required writing prior to class and then use videos, team breakouts and other discussion generators during the class time to engage the students in meaningful discussion at the application level. I ask questions as much as I present new ideas. Lecture beyond 10 minutes is as boring to me as much as it is to the students. I want students on the front edge of their seats instead of slouching against the back.
This is my first time working in an academic setting. I am an APRN, CNS that has floated throughout the hospital educating staff, patients and their families, but Academia is from what I hear entirely different. From the moment you step into the workplace you are on stage. Your students watch everything you do and seek to emulate you. Having been a student in the not so distant past I recall enjoying the professors that were always there for their students. I want to be that instructor. The one that always has an extra moment to do focussed teaching based on that students educational needs.
I hope to refine and enhance my style by sitting in on classes taught by other instructors and going to in-services. I also would like to have instructors audit my class and hear from both students and fellow instructors what they feel I can improve upon. I am open to suggestions to help me be the best instructor I can be.
Techniques that you can employ to further your instructional style is as simple as 'Listening'. As much as you expect your students to listen to you...you need to listen to them. You will be amazed at what you will learn.
Another, is 'Be Prepared' for class. Preparing before class allows you as a teacher to weed out what could be confusing or needs refining. It also gives you confidence that the lesson is well organized hence easier for you to explain in details...and with ease...which means you will be enjoying yourself through the lecture. Lastly, Educate yourself outside of the classroom... read or take a class yourself. We all need professional growth to enhance our instructional style.
I need to develop more computer skills
My instructional style is a combination of lecture demonstration field trip hands on projects group disscisions problem solviing and application of textiles to a specific space and client
I try and keep the students at ease....I'm a very layed back person and in my field which I teach is very stressful, I conduct my courses, in a manor that the students are free to ask questions.
Like others have commented, I review student evaluations and seriously consider their comments. However, I also consider that some comments are relevant to that specific group of learners, and may not be something I can apply to all future classes I teach. That said, I think it is important to feel out the learners in each class. For example, in some classes it can be hard to get students to participate in discussion, others are eager to talk.
In addition to all of this, the foundation of my instructional style is the passion I have for the subject and for learning. I try to convey my enthusiasm to the class, while also trying to assess what they are enthusiastic about and how I can tie this into the class.
Hi Bo,
Good approach as a new instructor. You are establishing creditability with your students by showing them your portfolio and laying out your expectations for the course. This gives a foundation from which you can conduct the rest of the class.
Gary
Hi Dr. Gary Meers
I am new instructor, and teaching Fashion Design.
As young instructor, my instructional style is talking to student straight forward. I am also bring my experience as students.
Plus, first day of the class I am showing my portfolio that related with the class. I believed in that way students can believe my skill and professionalism and will fallow me until end of the class.
I would like to include more interactive activities for the students.
Review the survey comments that the students write about the instructor, so that I can make improvements.
Continue to read and attend conferences pertaining to my profession to stay knowledgable.
Within the guidelines of our institution and in order to further advance my students knowledge of real life market conditions I involve myself in the industries which we train these students for. This brings to my class room a current, real life knowledge of what they can expect once they enter their chosen fields. I feel that as real life patricipants in the fields we can share with these students factual experiance which they can't retain in any other way.
Hi Arturo,
Good point about how you are "reading" your own instructional setting to help your students. By being both a student and instructor you get to see both sides of the instructional process which I know leads to better instructional delivery on your part.
Gary
I find that presenting the syllabus in detail on day 1 is an effective way to alert students to what is required of them and of their instructor. A thoruoughly outlined syllabus is an effective tool in organizing a class and setting students up for aninstructor's expectations. It's also very professional and demonstrates time management skills.
Hi Donalee,
What are some methods you use to get all of the students involved in the question and answer discussions?
Gary
As a current student myself, I like to evaluate many of my instructors teaching techniques and change them accordingly to fit the needs of my students. At times I beleive we forget that students have different learning styles and can become discouraged if they do not fully comprehend the material. It is essential to change up teaching styles periodically to ensure a conducive learning environment.
Thanks Dr. Meers,
I think the biggest thing I can improve on in my instructional style is a greater sense of fluidity and spontaneity. So far, my evaluations and feedback from students have been quite positive, but one negative comment stuck with me, which was that at times I can be a bit rigid, which I think is completely fair.
I'm an instructor in a Music Business program, in my first year of teaching. I've been thinking of the musical metaphor of improvisation chops while reflecting on my teaching during this first year. The central aspect of my musical identity is my work as a composer, which generally means that I do my best work when I am able to sit down and work meticulously - to have a detailed plan, which I can execute on my own time.
This trait has served me well in many aspects, but I don't think I'm as good at improvising in class as delivering content that I've carefully prepared, just as I'm a pretty crappy musical improviser. I know that both preparation and the ability to mix things up are important.
The only way to get better at musical improvising is practice, and my guess is it's probably the same with teaching. I'm trying to focus on that now, and I think it will get easier and easier with time.
Observing other instructors, practice and self reflections helps my ability to teach well.
