Eye contact with students helps draw them in, and makes the ones who are struggling feel important, and that you are interested in their success.
keeping good eye contact makes the student feel important and like they are the one getting the attention
Shows interest in the student if one and one and
in a group, it makes the individuals feel as if they are involved in the lecture.
Maintaining eye contact is very important for you as a teacher as it lets the students know you are aware of them and their feelings in your classroom. As a teacher of oral communications it is important for the students to maintain eye contact during a speech for the same reason and it is part of etiquette to look at who you are speaking to. Only problem is if a person's cultural or ethnic background is such that eye contact is considered taboo or disrespectful.
When you look students in the eye, many times you can tell if they really understand what you are covering in class.
I feel that I do this but not with everyone and I need to concentrate on including all the students with eye contact.
I agree, when maintaining eye contact the instructor can usually see who is "getting it" and who needs a further explaination.
Eye Contact is critical to gaining the trust of the class. Students have to know that you are making a direct connection with them.
Hi Tom!
Good job - great approach! I find that the saying that the eyes are the windows to the soul is very true. You can tell so much about a person's self esteem by looking into their eyes. It is so important that instructors help students build positive self esteem as well as being connected to the learning process.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
for those 2-3 seconds you have each students individual attention.
I like to make eye contact with all the students to show them that I am engaged in their learning. By continually scanning the classroom, I can gauge how they are learning.
To let the student know you are communicating with them.
If you do not have eye contact with the students, they may think you do not care about them. It is important to give each student the 2-3 seconds of eye contact.
It tends to keep the student involed in the process of learning.
In looking at all the comments and replies, I have to say your statement about eye contact making the student feel worthwhile is most important to me. I know as a student I want the instructor to acknowledge my existence and as an instructor I know how important it is for me to do the same. Student engagement through eye contact and acknowledging their replies is very important.
The value of eye contact is making students aware that they are apart of that conversation/lecture. It also helps the instructor know that his/her students are understanding what is being taught.
It makes them feel you are speaking directly to them. They also feel like part of the lesson and at the same time if they know you are watching them they are not as likly to try and sleep or find some other distraction to keep them engauged.
Having good eye contact makes a student feel as though you are interested in them as a student.
Hi Nancy!
Don't you enjoy seeing when the "light comes on" for a student! It is so gratifying for instructors to know that they have provided a learning moment.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
The value of having eye contact with a student lets them know that you are paying attention to them and that you value them and their imput.
I admit that this is one of my biggest struggles with teaching I have trouble maintaing the 2-3 seconds as I will start to get nervous staring into a students eyes.
