Conchi,
Thank you for the kind words. I wish you continued teaching success and may you impact the lives of students for years to come.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Great course! I have enjoyed this course a lot.
Thanks!
Conchi
Michael,
Well said. From creditability comes the foundation upon which rapport can be developed. When rapport is present then learning is enhanced and a dynamic learning environment can be created.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Gaining the students trust is important for them, it builds the instructors credibility.
Beverly,
This is the foundation upon which the rest of the course is built. Once they see that you are the learning leader and that you are going to help them move toward their career goals then the class can proceed from there.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
A positive first impression is important because it will dictate how your class will progress. If you exhibit professionalism and a positive attitude, students will look forward to being in your class.
Olivirgin,
What are some ways you help them to feel comfortable?
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
You want your students to fell comfortable.
LaShondra,
What are some ways you project a positive first impression to your students?
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Daniel,
You make a very good point about setting the tone for a first class meeting. We need to make sure we project a professional image and show our students that we are their learning leader from which we can help them move toward their career goals.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
It sets the path for the way the students will recieve you.
Its important to make a good impression the first day of class because thats what tells the students what your going to be like the rest of the class time. It is difficult when your a happy, fun, joke around kind of guy. You wanna have fun all the time but i learned doing that the first day sets the wrong tone and can make the class think that they can get away with alot of things.
I like to greet the students individually upon first meeting them with a warm smile and eye contact. Setting a positive tone with the entire group is required on a daily basis. I find that consistency is key. Before starting the day as well as at the end of our day (8 hours) I ask the students if there are any questions, qualms, queries, or concerns. I ensure that I am always open and available to all.
I also use a daily quote, story, or affirmation to promote motivation or to inspire positivity.
Making a positive first impression is key because your first impressions are the foundation of initial perception. Additionally, it is sometimes difficult to change first impressions therefor one should try to elicit the impression suitable for how they wish to be perceived.
Kay,
What are some ways you make a positive first impression with your students?
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree will Frances. You only have one time to make a good first impression.
Projecting a positive and approachable attitude is key to classroom success. Your attitude sets the tone for the duration of the course and the students response to the course material.
so true --we had a faculty member that never recovered --he had students not happy and many afraid to take the class with a different instructor --being prepared and letting a studetn know they are not always the expert but will find out is critical
Ali,
Things like the quote stand out in a student's mind just as did the use of a quote by your instructor. Anything like that we can do to get the attention of the students and help them get settled into the course is appreciated.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I like this approach. I remember as a student when I was taking college courses, one of my instructors used to put a quote on the board in the morning just to start off with something positive.
