Hi Linda,
Spoken like a true educator. Analyze the needed content and then select appropriate delivery methods and you will be on your way to teaching success. You will have fun and your students will enjoy success as a result of your efforts.
Gary
I teach software programs to Interior Design students. As I lecture and demonstrate certain tools, I use examples relating to their field and also give "real world" examples of when I have used certain tools in the field. It helps them get excited about the software they are learning.
I would first consider the content to be delivered. What is the most meaningful way to help the students gain an understanding of this material?What resources are available? Can the material be broken into smaller units? How will I know the students have mastered the information. Then I would design an outline of content, materials, activities, and assessments.
Hi William,
Your students are fortunate to have such a person as their instructor. Talk about "real life" you are living it so when you come to the classroom with an example your students know it has been something you have lived through rather than just a text book example.
Gary
Hi Amy,
Great job of customizing your instruction to the individual needs of your students. Your efforts are getting the students to buy into your course because of the examples you are giving of each different discipline area.
Gary
Hi Bruce,
Let me know how your new approach works for you and your students. I am sure you are going to be able to develop a stronger concept base that will tie into the skill development of your students.
Gary
Hi James,
Good strategy. By imposing a deadline on work completion you reflecting what they will soon be seeing in the work world. They need to understand what the expectations are and then develop skills that will enable them to succeed.
Gary
Hi Jay,
Good way to start a new class. Everyone gets to know each other and you. This is the foundation for respect and rapport throughout the course.
Gary
I am a business man. Work in a small business where I am responsible for nearly all facets of the business. In my classes, I can nearly always bring real world examples of how to use the material we are covering, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
I tend to modify my content to match the program of study for the students in my class. If it is a class of dental assistants I tend to try to relate my material to their field as much as possible. This is more difficult with mixed classes but it can be done. I just have to remember to address each program of study so the material seems relevant for each student.
Interestingly, I found my lectures are too brief. I was trying to lecture as little as possible then letting students get right into their hands-on classwork. After reviewing this module, I now know I should be able to get a good 15 minutes of lecture time in before asking students to conduct their hands-on work. I am going to start lecturing a bit more. I think this will help greatly since I was spending a lot of one-on-one time helping each student previously but now if I spend more time lecturing, I should be able to teach more to more students at one time.
By imposing criteria on them that needs to be met within a specified time. In other words, forcing them to be proactive rather than passive in problem solving situations, so that mistakes and repetition can occur on their end to reinforce the lecture or lab issue.
First, I try to get to know my students by understanding their background and experiences. By knowing this information, it allows me to relate the material to their background and experties. Also, I apply my own professional background in management and engineering and demonstrate how the material is relevant in most work environments.
Hi Antoinette,
Thank you for sharing the organizational pattern for getting your students involved in the class. The use of the mini-lectures and group activities all help to get all the students involved. Also, the students get to demonstrate their leadership abilities when they share the results of their group work.
Gary
The strategies that I have implemented to make the course's content relevant are mini lectures and group work. Often times, lectures tend to be to lengthy. Because they are to long, students tend to tune out and their productivity decreases. I begin my class with an Introduction of what we will be learning in the course so that students are aware of what we will be covering. Then, I have a mini-lecture so that students can get a feel of the information before attempting a problem. After the mini-lecture, I place the students into groups so that they can discuss the proposed question and then they can decide how they plan to solve it. Then, I ask one member of each group to post their solution and explain how they arrived at the solution. This serves to cement the information that has been learned before students leave to go home to work on homework problems.
In this module, I learned more about how I can add other strategies into my courses to make my teaching and my student's learning more effective.
Hi Luis,
Thanks for sharing these strategies. You are helping your students to make immediate use of newly acquired knowledge. They are learning how to ride the bicycle and then they go out and actually do it. I am sure using this method you get very good results in language acquisition.
Gary
As a language teacher, I have my students "go out" and experience with the language. It could be as simple as introducing themselves to a native speaker, go to the store and find products with labels in the target language, experience with friends cultural aspects (bubble space in the US vs. the Hispanic World).
Those are some of the activities I have my beginners do as a way to give real purpose to the subject being taught.
Hi Eduardo,
The use of guest speakers and field trips are a very effective way of getting the message across to students in terms of how their efforts will be rewarded with career choices that come as a result of their study. Good job.
Gary
Hi Janet,
Great plan for using the class length in different segments and activities. That is important as you well know when trying to keep the students engaged in the learning process. The immediate use of newly acquired knowledge is an excellent way to keep student motivation high. Good job.
Gary
I have taken students on field trips that are related to couse study . I have invited students that have graduated, and are working in the field as guest speakers.
