Rachel,
I agree with your comments. It is important to understand where our students are coming from so we can serve them in the best manner possible.
Shelly Baker
It is important to understand the learner's characteristics because each learner is different and may require more/less attention than another student. The learner's characteristics can also give an instructor an idea of where to begin in the course and how much pre-work is going to be required for successful completion of the course by the students.
It helps me to create a dyversified learning environment to accomidate all types of learners special needs. Be it physicaly challenged or Reading challenges, Testing challenges, or just making a student feel more at home in a strange place or setting.
Hi Rachel,
You are right about our need as instructors to look at ourselves when we are doing our instructional planning. This effort will assist us in making the experiences we plan for our students even more real.
Gary
Hi Glynis,
Just keep up your efforts to show yourself friendly and supportive. Chat a bit with each student each day and before long rapport will be there as well as respect for what you are doing.
Gary
Hi Faith,
Well said. Plus it lets you be creative in your instructional planning because you are will be offering customized instruction for your students as a result of your efforts.
Gary
I believe understaning the learner characteristics, we have to first anaylize ourselves and recognize how we felt when we as indivuals where learners. Once understanding and excepting our past experiences's both good and bad, you can then help your learners in their experiences at college and be able to help them succeed.
Many of my students are my age or older, so I'm finding it especially challenging to build rapport. Understanding where they are coming from helps a lot.
In Understanding the learner characteristics will help with planning process, as each student will learn at a different level, so planning to insure that all of your students can understand the infromation that you are delivering to them, also to help them retain the information at the top level of their understanding.
Hi Glenn,
This way you can use your creativity to meet the learning needs of your students. This helps to keep your interest high as you plan your instruction.
Gary
Speaking for myself i find that once you analyze the characteristic of a student in need you can focus your training thought so that the student and see and approach the problem from a different angle.
Hi Jaclyn,
The challenge of reaching all students is always there each and every day we teach. The fun part of teaching is being able to plan for and achieve success in meeting the learning needs of the students. This is why we teach.
Gary
Quite simply, you need to know your audience. If you have a class made up mostly of older adults who have real-life experience in their fields, you can obviously plan your course differently than if you have a class of younger students who may never have had a full time job (at least, not in their field).
A mix of older and younger students will give you even more options to consider when planning course structure!
I feel that it helps the planning process so that you will be able to focus on all types of learners. Everyone does not have the same learning capabilities, and focusing on what technique will help each learner is key to success to the class as a whole. When planning cirriculum and daily lesson plans I feel that it is essential to taouch on all factors that will engage everyone.
Confidence is key. If the learning atmosphere in the classroom is professional and the students feel their presence and input is respected they will have the confidence to take charge of their education and take it ot the next level.
It is important to "get a feel" for the student morale and their expectations for a class. If you see there is a problem at the beginning of the session, you need to handle this as soon as possible, so that there is no festering of bad feelings that then spread to other students.
By openly discussing students' concerns, you are showing their opinions count and have value.
Hi Jan,
Good plan for customizing instruction for individual students in a general class setting.
Your school has some very good ideas for how this can be done. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Hi Heather,
Good ideas about the advantages of knowing the characteristics of each individual class and how to plan for their unique needs.
Gary
Hi Karen,
Thank you for this good discussion of how to use the different dynamics of groups for the benefit of everyone that is in the group.
Gary
Understanding learning characteristics is beneficial to the instrutor and students. At my school we attempt to deliver class information thru several methods of learning: for Tactile hands on learners- students prep and cook something each day in kitchen classes; for visual learners- students see demonstrations of what they will make, have class notes, handouts,recipes and textbook to read. For auditory learners- instructors give lectures going over the techiniques and main points.
After getting to know students names the first day learning individual learning characterisitcs instructors can create appropriate small groups, even tests can be put in appropriate format, class projects can be adjusted (typed essay or verbal in front of class.) Being able to understand and teach to students learning characteristics helps develop rapport and makes them feel valued, and helps them be more successful in the classroom.
