I've always felt I needed improvement in the dynamics of my vocal delivery. I often hear other instructors in other rooms, and I think to myself, "How could the students miss what that instructor is saying?" It's not simply volume that stands out, but the dynamics of the voice that I hear that convinces listeners that the instructor is "fired up" about the subject.
I think I've improved over the years, but there's always room for improving that aspect of my delivery a bit more.
Eye contact is another area I could improve on in the classroom. I have noticed students paying closer attention shen they know I'm aware of them through eye contact.
I seem to work on each of these areas and others each term and then trying to determine the results of ratcheting up some method and maintaing that level if it shows better results.
I would like to work a little more on my non-verbal skills. I sometimes tend to take too much of the talking time in the class, and it is important for me to be able to step back and a) let the students engage, and b) have some silence for brief moments maybe, so that they can refresh their minds, and go over what we have covered so far.
I feel that as an instructor, the communication skill that I would like to personally improve is my non-verbal communication. I know that sometimes I get too comfortable sitting at my desk or that I move around the room too much. I tend to teach a lot of evening classes and sometimes the mood of the students will cause me to become either too active to try and "wake" them up or it is too "relaxed" to calm them down. I found this to be what occured during my last class, both the students and myself were just not feeling it and I need to work on keeping that from happening.
Storytelling is a skill that I need to develop. It is difficult to do but is so beneficial to the students. Application of learning is important. I am constantly reviewing case studies and examples I can use.
Avoid being monotone. I need to work on adding inflection in my voice. Also, I don't think of myself as a good 'storyteller' in general. I think this quality is important to keep students' attention.
I teach online and have to give one-hour "Live Chats" two times per week. I have found that I talk too fast. I need to slow down and pause at times. I like to get my students involved so I ask questions every few minutes.
I have an embarassment of riches dilemma in my teaching. I can rally most classes into energetically participating but then the problem arises as to how to manage the student involvement in a timely fashion. Our coursework allows a very small amount of time for the lecture and exchange portion of the class so that the students can maximize their hands-on experience daily. Unfortunately, I don't want to cut off questions or only take the questions from the first to speak up.
I have found that each class, like each student, has a group personality and that one solution doesn't work for every class. It is finding the balance more quickly and having more go to solutions that I believe would make me a better instructor.
Hi Kristen!
I find myself trying to have every color marker both for paper and board. When I have put things on the board in different colors, I will remind the students by suggesting they remember the color used for the topic and what's funny is that they will do that with me. BUT!!! We do have to remember the topic NOT just the color!!!
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
i really like the review of last class and bridging . i definitly think it helps. i need myself to be ore dilegant in headers and highlighting keypoints not just verball but on board .
I'd like to be able to sing and dance much better than I do currently. That would add a lively addition to my commuication repertoire!
Hi Jay. I would like to add more voice inflection to my communication skills. I tend to be a little monotone and the use of voice inflection would help emphasize key points and keep the students better focused.
One of the points I would like to improve in my presentations is the pace of my speech. I talk fast - and can easily confuse people around me. So I know I must do this with my students also. After completing this module, I have decided to speak very slowly (at least it will seem so to me) and enunciate carefully.
Sometimes I get too passionate about a topic that I tend to speak in a faster pace, sometimes losing my students that I have to reflect after what I lectured about and repeat myself to make sure that I got my point across. I just need to slow down.
Diana
I would like to improve on slowing down the rate at which I speak. If I am presenting a topic that I am very knowledgable on I get excited about the information and can start to talk too rapidly. I want to make sure that I slow down so that all the students can clearly hear what I am saying. I am sure it is frustrating as a student to try and take notes if the teacher is speaking too quickly.
Great approach to personal growth, Walter!
Good job!
Jane Davis
Ed106 Facilitator
To improve my communication skills I attend Toastmasters. This has helped me in my classroom presentations. Speaking without ‘ums’ and ‘ahhhs’ will improve your presentation.
Walter
Hi Patrick!
I am interested in how you define "good communication skills' and do you think that your definition is the same for each student?
I am of the thought that communication is very generational. what do you think?
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
Nothing specific - always looking for ways to improve and new tips to try.
I like to ask leading questions to encourage students to think and extrapolate knowledge. Too often, my questions are so abstract they have no idea what to say or even guess. I would like to be better ask pushing them to think without losing them or totally alienating them. Half the time I'm quite successful and they are genuinely thrilled that they figured something out, but the other half they look at me like I'm crazy.
Essentially good communicatin skills enhance student learning, even in the online classroom. My lecture skills for online classrooms need to be made more dynamic and interesting. I am working to make this a reality.
