I agree. I am always cracking jokes or doing a "happy" dance to keep the student awake. Each class is 4 hours long so it is important to have some jokes ready. I even bring in a beach ball to use when asking questions. it helps get the students involved and allows them to get rid of some energy when sitting in class for 4 hours
Hi Wendy,
By giving their brains a break and getting the blood flowing you are allowing your students to disconnect for a few minutes and then reconnect once again. Good job with keeping your students engaged.
Gary
Sometimes if I see I'm losing them, I have them get up and move around. Whether it is just to do something as a group or to practice something hands on, just the action of moving redirects the focus.
I have found that sometimes a short video clip is a great way to refocus their attention and illustrate a point. Plus these are usually humorous.
Hi Van,
Variety is the key when it comes to teaching. By breaking up the instruction as you have indicated you are providing students different ways of grasping the information and developing their skill sets.
Gary
Mixing it up is what it's all about. Humor works, life experience works (they can be humorous too-maybe not when then happened!), videos, and powerpoint and I have found it very true that students have pretty short attention spans-no big surprise there. Working in a more vocational setting I find an even greater opportunity for student's zoning out if you talk for too long or try to present too many ideas at a time. Break it up and it helps them 'get it' more often.
Hi Darlene,
Right you are about the instructor having to set the tone for the class. If the instructor does not demonstrate leadership then the class is going to be a mess. By joking with the students and using humor to get the message across and then bringing the class back into focus on the concepts and issues being studied then he/she is fulfilling their professional responsibilities.
Gary
There must be a balance and I find that with teaching in a clinical setting it is important to stress that "the joke was fun to get us going but now we need to utilize their time for learning and get them in the real world of working out the patient/nurse issues and problem solving issues that really occur daily in the nursing field." Students are quite responsive to both joking and getting back on track, as long as the instructor leads the atmosphere for the class learning and continues to teach the lessons that are well planned.
I agree that using humor is a great way to engage students!
Hi Darryl,
Right you are about bringing the students into the process through questioning. I have found that questioning soon takes on a life of its' own and the students really get into the idea that they can ask questions that get at exactly what they want to know. Surprise, surprise. They sometimes forget that classes are designed for them to learn. They get to focused on the requirements and forget how much they will benefit from the course.
Gary
One of the techniques that I have used to get the attention back to me is to tell my experiences in the discipline that I'm teaching that relates to the topic that I am talking about. Sometimes, I would bring in the students by asking them what they think about my experiences, what would they do in my situation. This is where the lecturer can be the entertainer, the jokester, the motivator, the inspirer, to get a particualar point across. Get the students involved ( have them ask the questions by asking them questions )
Joshua, I do agree to a point with you. Within my classrooms the student's know that I usually have some sort of experience that will add to the point I'm trying to make. If I don't will encourage others to share. Sometimes that personal touch just makes the point.
Hi Richard,
It is important to have a supportive and comfortable atmosphere in your classroom. It sounds like you are doing that with your open friendly approach while working with your students.
Gary
I would echo the comments thusfar. Students are people and enjoy interactions with instructors on many levels. My students seem to relax more when we are not "always" focused and intent on learning and I appear friendly, approachable and human.
Hi Mary Ann,
Good use of an excellent resource, your students. By having them engage in discussions and group activities they are getting to share with their cohorts some of their life experiences and expertise.
Gary
Humor is a great way to elicit and maintain attention. It is also a great way to establish and deepen rapport with the students. I teach a 4 1/2 hour class that requires variety, energy, and having a good attitude. What works so far is having the students engage in discussions that generate critical thinking and analysis rather than having them watch me for hours on end. It is far easier and benefical for them to be engaged and learn experientially from their colleagues, rather than listen to one speaker.
Hi Joshua,
The fun part of teaching is being creative in trying to find that all important balance between the two. Keep up the search, this is what will keep you and all of us in education fresh.
Gary
At the same time, too much joking may gain the audience, but lose the point.
Methods will always vary. The message is what is crucial... Thus the never ending saga of balancing the Method and the Message...
How true- an hour of monotonous drone is never very effective. You have to vary the tone and pitch of your voice, tell a joke, ask their opinions, whatever you can think of to keep them awake.
I agree wholeheartedly with you. Where did we get the idea that education had to be monotonous? Learning should be fun, engaging and entertaining. That excitement inspires students and makes learning enjoyable. If our goal is to encourage life-long learning, we need to ask ourselves if our teaching style is in line with that goal.
