Not sure where to start...
I would say that I have diverse learners in my classes. I mainly teach computer classes, so there are younger students who have been using computers all of their lives, and then there are older students who have never seen or touched a computer before. It makes teaching very difficult. Some might suggest partnering the ones who know with the ones who don't, but I often find that the ones who know just get frustrated with those who don't (as if they should already know these things, or wondering why they don't understand their explanation...). Does anyone have any suggestions for me? (For example, in Keyboarding we did a brief unit in Word - basic things like changing the line spacing and font. The students who have been using Word forever were bored out of their minds, while others struggled to keep up. Exhausting for me!)
Hi Robert!
There were many great recommendations in the posts. I think it has a lot to do with the student mix in each class. One strategy that would work in one class may not work in another.
It it very important that we are able to work with all students in a class no matter how tiring it is for an instructor.
My oldest child was always one step ahead of the other students in her class which could be a real challenge for both her and her teacher. But once the teachers figured out that she needed extra work it reduced some of the challenge. Then as she got older and she could mentor other students it paid off for all concerned.
Keep up the good work1
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
I like the concept of having duel tasks for beginners and more advanced students. Consider however that you have a curriculum content that must must completed. I have my students all do the basic requirements and then have enrichment sections for those students that need to be challenged. I have also found that group projects that have proficient and weaker students together can provided mentoring in a non-threatening environment.
I would recommend dual tasks. For those more experienced in the course work, exhibiting boredome during basic lessons, provide tasks or a more complex nature. This will require you to be more on ball and require multi-tasking; however, it will allow you to ensure that each are equally challenged with differing levels of material. I have a friend who experienced something to this extent. His sister would come home every day and teach him what she had learned in school that day, essentially home schooling him. He was able to read and write upon entering Kindergarten, which prompted the teacher to give him first grade level work. The process continued, he would work on this with his sister after school and continued to advance beyond the class throughout his schooling. He was always ahead of everyone else and ended up graduating high school with nearly double the credits necessary to graduate with an "Advanced College Prepatory" highschool diploma. Of course, he never went to college, but the process had a dynamic affect on his learning abilities. I think that this could be applied in an adult learning situaiton; however, it is best to test the method first to see if it would work for you.
Other options would be to teach the advanced students how to teach! That in itself requires the patience of Mother Theresa and Ghandi! Maybe the feeling of responsibility would stymie their frustrations with the inexperienced.
You ask! This is what I do to help my students. Most of the time, it is hard for students to ask, either pride or the inability to understand what they do not understand. So, I will ask them questions to see if they can answer. Normally, I will ask questions that relate to their task and the processes that they are using to research and write their essays. I often find that in the responses given is hidden their dificiencies. That will allow me to queue into additional explinations to facilitate understanding.
I teach accounting and I run into similiar issues. In business programs, the students are required to take an accounting class. Students often do not want to learn accounting and are unwilling to put in the time it takes to learn accounting. How do you get the students to put in the time they need to grasp the concepts. Then, there are those who are really working hard at the class, but just don't get it. How do I know how to help the students if they don't ask?
Hello!
When I get to part of the curricula where I know we need to discuss “basic” concepts, I ask
“skilled” learners to site practical examples so that the skilled learners bring their experience to the class. The more lower level learners appreciate the practical example – like another student used the concept.
