Resaerch different styles of teaching to reach all students. I recently researched teaching students with ADD. I was given alot of different techniques to help them focus better. I would also like to also start to use overhead. I am very old school with putting notes on the board.
Incorporating use of technology - i.e. websites with short educational videos to explain concepts with pictures, photos, animations.
I try to teach on every level. Every student learns differently. I have students color Anatomy pictures while diagraming them. We play games such as Jeopardy, memory, and Last man standing. I also include flashcards for key terms.
Those are great questions. I also like to ask students to write down their expectations for the course at the first class meeting. Then at the end, I ask them to write down when/how/if those expectations were met.
Another good question is: What did you enjoy least? Sometimes that's not helpful--a typical answer is "all the reading we had to do"--but often students provide helpful feedback and encourage themselves when they realize that even though their expectations were met, they learned/experienced so much more than they had anticipated.
When we get together as faculty, it's always so encouraging and informative to share some "best practices" ideas as well as specific problems we've had in communicating/teaching certain concepts. That way we not only encourage and support each other, but come away with some new ideas. It also serves as a reminder that even the most experienced teachers get frustrated; the challenge is to learn the best way to deal with that frustration when it happens and how to avoid similar situations in the future.
I enjoy attending symposium...i learn a lot of great ideas to bring back to the classroom...
I feel I relate well to the students but would like to find more creative ways to make boring maetrial more interesting
Hi Azita,
You are going to do great as an educator based upon your forum comments. You have a big picture view of what an instructor needs to be like and focus on while teaching. Keep on the lookout for strategies you can use as you expand your teaching expertise and experience and you will have a successful career as an instructor. I wish you much teaching success.
Gary
I think that being as must up to date as you can. Always bring to your students your experience or contrasting other contry style of doing things
I don't have one yet. I am a first time instructor, or will be in the next two weeks. I have read the comments and certainly will use some of the techniques when it is time for me to step in the classroom. However I think each teacher should have flexibility to change his or her style to some degree depending on the students knowlege base, their needs, the requirements set by their institutions and other factors. I have not been in a classroom as a teacher yet, but I sure can remember my own experiances as a student. No matter how old your audiances are they would like some sense of humor and appricate education with entertainment and being engaged.
Hi Lisa,
That would be tough. Having one student for that long of period over and over again would be a tutoring session as you mention. There are a lot of things you can do to help the student move forward but when it comes to certain activities it would be challenging. Hope you can get some numbers going in your classes before too long where you can use some interactive learning group strategies to the benefit of both you and your students.
Gary
I can certainly employ more enthusiam to the classroom. Just when I thought I had developed a "decent" instructional style, my classes changed. For the last year, I have had 1 student classes and to me it's like a 4 hour tutoring session, with which I have become bored. Some of my colleagues say I am very blessed to have such an opportunity. Now I feel like I have to start all over again.
Hi Catherine,
Good to hear. How do you plan to incorporate these instructional styles into your own delivery? Thanks for you input on this.
Gary
I am observing many instructional styles.
Thank you for your positive statements.
Best regards,
Harry Hall
Hi Carla,
Well said about practice in relation to developing as a teacher. I have been teaching for many years and I am always introducing new concepts or strategies into my courses. This keeps me fresh and excited about what I am teaching. This makes it a win for me and a win for my students. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Hi Crystal,
Being consistent is critical for teachers. By having consistency as one of your goals I know you are going to make great progress in this direction. I wish you much teaching success.
Gary
Hi Harry,
Great to hear about your teaching success and effectiveness. This is what a master educator should be about. The fact you are still striving for increased instructional skill is evidence that you are both a teacher and student at heart. I wish you many more years of teaching success.
Gary
I believe that through taking courses such as this one I will learn new techniques that can refine and enhance my instructional style.
Currently, I use a lot of lecture and I am always striving to add in more hands-on experience for tactile learners, and powerpoint and audio--visual aids for visual learners.
As a new teacher, I also believe that practice makes perfect--so the more experience I can gain teaching the better I will become.
I think that I need to work more on not allowing my feelings get in the way. I need to be more firm and mean what I say.
