Getting to know the student
The student behavior and personalities are important for success.
I agree with Quiana. Student seem to be more attentive when they know you. Especially when they know you were in their spot not to long ago.
I like getting to know my students because that helps formulate trust and confidence. When a student get to know you they open up more and tend to rely on you. I like my students to rely on me for support!
I completely agree that it is very important to know your students. I teach Vocational Nurses in clinicals. I want to know their strength, their knowledge base and how much theoretical information the they have on a particular subject before we can dive into the practicals.
At our first meeting, I give a detailed introduction of myself and encourage the student to do the same. From the course of the introduction, comes follow up question that will give up information that will help me know my students' strength, weaknesses and comfort level, and they likewise, which will lead to a comfortable working and learning relationship. This will show me the areas they need more emphasis or help on.
Hi Susana,
Great way to create a baseline on your students. By knowing what they know you can as you mentioned target your instruction to them as needed. This should make for effective and efficient learning for your students.
Gary
I completely agree that it is of vital importance to get to know students as individuals. I want them to see that I am interested in whom they are, what they are studying, and how they are planning to achieve their goals. I start off each term of my English classes by having students write a one page or more paper about themselves, including what they like, dislike, what they are studying, and anything else they care to tell me about themselves. Students are surprisingly open and I learn the most interesting facts about them. It opens up a gateway for students to feel more comfortable coming up and talking to me, and allows me to better understand what they like, and how to tailor my lessons in such a way as to motivate the maximum amount of students.
Once that a student is assigned to my class, I need to know what is the knowledge the student has about the subject I teach – Dental Assistant. In the way I get this information is by asking informal questions related to anatomy and dental subjects, and this helps me a lot to create a better teaching setting for them. It is easier then to work with a student because I exactly know the learning needs each student could have.
Knowing the students is extremely important for my class. I teach Accounting in a Computer Lab environment and each individual learns at his/her own pace. For me is very important to know the expectations of my students, so what I do is to ask them the first day of class to write a brief mini-biography of themselves telling me something about their past, present, and future lives. This has helped me to customize the training for each individual based on his/her needs and skills.
Hi Brad,
I like your approach. I also see you creating in the culinary arts students minds a connection between culinary arts and art itself. Much of food appeal is based upon presentation and that is the basis of art.
Gary
I have found that it is easiest to know your students by asking a series of easy and personal questions that are to written in class. I teach an Art Appreciation class to Culinary students who, more than not, seem to be apprehensive about the course because they know nothing about art. I have found that gaining their trust and respect is best achieved by asking them questions. This will help me remember their names and be better acquainted with their artistic interests. This ultimately opens the door to communication, a significant aspect of the learning process.
