The communiation skills I would want to improve is the complex integration of didatic with simulation lab experience.
The better the connection a student has of a concept to a demonstrated application, the greater the retention and matriculation of knowledge.
I would like to improve the climate of my classroom and make each student feel welcome and safe enough to discuss topics and be more engaged. I have moved the tables and chairs enabling me to walk to the back of the room and a making eye contact with each student. This is helping me to evaluate students and to increase participation from students at the back of the room. I have also been trying to greet each student at the beginning of class and not be so absorbed in preparing for the set up of class and lab that individual students do not feel appreciated or unimportant to me. I also plan to increase communication by planning more discussion periods;I now realize the importance of planning discussion questions in advance.
Linda,
this is an ongoing challenge. If possible, I would think about making participation part of the grade for the course & making the participation heavily focused on the reading. This might help force the students to do more of the reading ahead of time.
Dr. Ryan Meers
One problem I have is that students will not read material before class,and when I ask a question concerning the topic, or ask someone to share their experience in relations to the topic it is very difficulty for the student to communicate.
Phil,
intercultural communication is definitely a challenge but also one that can be met. Glad to know you are seeing this area as one for you to focus on in your communication.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Thank you for the good question.
The communication skills I wish to personally improve upon include spanning the cultural differences of my native Texan, extremely low context values to effectively communicate with predominately West coast American persons (here in Portland, Oregon), and also including effective communication with those from other countries who comprise my student population.
As an example, I speak more generally, rather than specifically. I imply the importance of appropriate behaviors, while my students may be more specific and more literal.
Another communication skill I wish to improve upon is to reduce my use of stories as teaching examples, especially if I wish to effectively communicate with younger students, those in the age range of 18 to 25 years.
Phil Finch
Beth,
this is a great technique to help keep you at the right pace. If you are comfortable, I would also ask a couple of the students who are professional enough to handle it to monitor you & let you know if they feel you are going too fast.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Margarita ,
this is quite a challenge for those of us who don't have the best poker faces! The smiling probably is not the problem; when you feel you are getting upset, I would encourage you to quickly do an analysis & think about what is making you so upset. This helps you get to the root of the problem (rather than hitting on peripherals) & also refocuses your brain so you aren't thinking about the anger but trying to solve a problem.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I tend to talk too fast during my lectures. I am aware of this, and watching a clock in the back of the class room helps me to keep focused on slowing down. If I give myself 15 minutes to lecture, and I notice on the clock, I am going way to fast, I am able to change my pace.
I am very emotional person so i wish to improve my facial expresions.I smile a lot but when i am upset sometimes you can see it on my face.Just wish to control my emotions better.
Communicating with students that have english as a second language. They have a tendence to alwasy say they understand when they dont
I would like to improve on taking pauses during lecture and allowing silence at different times. This would allow time for students to refocus and regroup from the information provided. Another improvement would be allowing the 2-3 seconds of silence before answering a student's question. We all need to take time to consider the question being asked. By allowing the couple of seconds for us to think about the question, we can formulate our thoughts and once again regroup with silence. Silence doesn not have to be akward, it can actually be effective.
Irma,
this helps illustrate the points you are teaching as well as helps get students excited for putting their learning into practice.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Ryan, personal experiences that I or my students share can help the students learn. We share our clinical experience and the types of patients we care for. This generates conversation and engaged students.
IDA,
it is a challenge not to show our fatigue, frustration, etc in our bodies but definitely worth working on so our students can't tell when we're tired & when we're not.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I like the topic giving your student a road map.
I would like to improve body langage because I feel when I am tired it shows in my body presentation.
Lisa,
I do think that after a while you will get a much more natural feel flowing & you will start to be more automatic in the midst of your lectures.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I would like to improve my ability to use stories and more gestures within my lectures. Because this doesn't come naturally to me I liked the idea of planning them in advance. In preparing for my lecture I will plan appropriate gestures and stories in ahead of time and make note of them in the margin of my lecture notes, that way hopefully I will remember them. I hope that by planning them in the beginning and including them in the lectures that eventually they will come automatically.
I have never videotaped myself teaching before. The thought of doing such a thing sends shivers up my spine. I hate hearing myself on someone's voicemail so I cannot even imagine how horrible it would be to see myself on tape. However, I can totally appreciate why this is a good idea. Even without videotaping myself I know that I am a fidgeter. I feel so much more comfortable and feel like I can formulate my thoughts better if I am playing with something in my hand. Of course this hinders my ability to communicate with my students effectively but I had never thought about it like that until now. I am going to make a true attempt to make it through my next class, at least half of it, without something in my hand to play with.
