Making Your Expectations Clear
What methods or techniques do you use to make sure that your students understand what you expect of them?
I like giving pop quizzes but I also have them repeat back to me what I said and what that means to them. In some cases I have also asked to see their notes to make sure they are gleaning the pertinent information from the lecture.
I go over what i expect from the students thru a power point so that what i am saying is also in front of them.i also post it on the bulletin board in the class room so its there every day.
I give them examples. Talk about my experiences so they know that they need to learn or else they will not be successful in the field.
I make sure the expectations are in writing. I also implemented a "Class Citizenship Contract" for the students to sign. I sign off on this as well, so we are both on the same page.
I use a content guide. I have objectives that are posted on the board during each class to ensure that they know what the learning outcomes
Being an externship coordinator, the expectations are very high because they are going out into the real world and I am very honest with them always and try to make it clear to each student what they can expect and what kind of repercussions there will be if they do not meet the expectations of the site they are going to. So, I feel that giving them as much information about what the expectations are makes it easier for them to go out there and be successful.
I use a Q&A style during lecture followed by providing students with professional experiences to back up what was lectured on and what the textbook has indicated. I also review the lecture with them by asking the students to provide their impute through what they have read prior to class. By doing this last step it assists in knowing if the students actually read the textbook. If they have not read the required textbook chapter I then ask them to look up the answer in the textbook and read it aloud.
Eliza,
Right you are about the need for consistency. Without it the students will not know what to expect and the course will start falling apart. As the learning leader you bring passion for your field, enthusiasm for teaching about it and consistency in action. This is a combination that enhances learning for the students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think that consistency is the best way to make expectations clear. If you lay out the objectives for the course from the beginning and then stick to them for every student in every situation it makes it much easier to have clear expectations. I think it is easy as an instructor to fall in to the trap of bending your expectations based on a student or a certain circumstance, but if you bend too much and too often it is easy for you to lose your expectations in the process.
I inform students ahead of time of the material we they need to focus on. And a quiz is given, if the end result is poor overall I revamp my technique to a level where they can understand.
I have found that giving quizzes constantly keeps the students on the ball. When I began teaching, I was surprised to find out that a lot of students were just too intimidated or shy to ask questions. I explain to them on day 1 that the only stupid question, is the one never asked. I constantly reinforce this throughout the class, and still a lot of questions were going unanswered for the lack of the student asking. So now I have quizzes everyday and some of the questions are as simple as what percentage range do you have to have to receive a "B". or who is the author of your culinary book?
I try to be very clear and concise with my students. I don't want any hindrances when it comes to my students learning.
Evan,
This extra effort is the human factor in teaching and you living it with your students so they see that they have a caring and supportive instructor.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Angel,
Then keep up the good work. You have found a model that works for you and your students so continue to use it and enjoy the results of seeing your students grow in their knowledge and skills.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree that some students are shy and don't want to speak up in class so I always come to class early and stay late for students who need some extra help.
I write the agenda on the board. I explain it step by step. The explanation covers lecture and lab. Since the following day our lecture and lab activities will be different then I explain the importance to cover all the activities on the same day. I'm obtaining great results.
I go over the syllabus with my class, and handout calenders showing what we are doing on a specific day. And also go over what is expected of them.
Showing the students the goal of the class and the way we are going to achieve that goal since the first day of class is very important to me. I am very clear about my expectations since the walk into the class room. Students need to see my goals in the way I see it. We must be in the same page in order to get the job done.
For assignments in my courses, I find it helps to write them as first presenting an objective, then providing a series of steps to complete the assignment, and stating what the deliverable is to be. Assignments are handed out and gone through in detail during class; questions are solicited. I encourage the students to use the assignment write-up as a checklist, and to proceed from step to step through it as they complete the exercise. Even so, I am always surprised at how some students fail to understand what is expected in their work. Have others reading these threads dealt successfully with this type of issue?
