There is always a deversity in students when it comes to learning. During the first day of class the instructor needs to reconize these and base his teaching methods to fit accordingly. A good instructor will have several different teaching styles ready to go to fit each student that comes through his door. This becomes a challange when dealing with a class of thirty or more students.
When we, instructors, understand the diverse characteristics of our students, we can reach out to them more and work with them toward their success. We can incorporate the diffuernt learning styles.
Hi Lloyd,
Right you are. As instructors I like the challenge of being able to develop instructional strategies that will hit all of the different individuals learning needs in my classes. Keeps me on my toes. Hope this is the same for you.
Gary
Hi Bridget,
Good advice for instructors. Variety and diversity are two very helpful ways of getting new material across to students. A dedicated instructor is one that is constantly striving to improve in all areas of instruction. With improvement comes satisfaction of a job well done. This helps to retain instructors for the long haul.
Gary
Hi Servet,
What do you do to get to know the needs of your students? When you get this information how do you use it in your instructional planning?
Gary
Teaching in a career college; each of the faculty has years of experience in the field. We realy our stories from our past to show we did not arrive here overnight and it takes time- time to learn and time to ask the questions. This forms a more connective bond.
Today's classes are most diffcult when preparing a lesson plan because of age, race, experience level knowing what to expect before going into a classroom will produce a better result.
From get go having good understanding with their needs will help me to have good start in my course and providing them with new knowledge will improve their confidence
It starts with the lesson plans. During the planning process, instructors must ask themselves a few questions. Am I engaging the students in this lesson? In what ways am I encouraging participation to help the students understand the concept? Did I give the students an opportunity to include their “real life experiences” during this lesson?
It is a process that must occur otherwise the instructor will use a very common teaching technique – lecture only, and that is not student centered. It is simply the easiest way to get a lot of information to the students. We ask instructors to include in their lesson plans at least two to three different learning preferences during the class (depending on the class length). When instructors prepare their lessons this way, they really engage the students and they retain the information better.
This will help me tremendously understand the student specially in our campus, most likely Adult student, and they have specific goal on their career already. They are more focused on their training. But it easy for them to fear of failing because of competing against younger and more younger student.
Understanding them, I can easily guide them and let them know what to do to go back to their comfort Zone. From there I can advice them better, efficiently and effectively.
Hi Bridget,
You are right about needing to use the different learning preferences for all of your students. What are some ways you go about making sure your teaching is student centered and not teacher centered?
Gary
This will help me tremendoulsy undestand the student specially in my campus, most likely Adult student, and they have specific goal on their career already. They are more focused on their training. But it easy for them to fear of failing cost of the competeng against younger and more agreesive student.
Understanding them, I can easily guide them and let them know what to do to go back to their confort Zone.
I like having the freedom to modify the curriculum somewhat after having has the opprtunity to get to know my students for a day or two. This way ican suit the week/weeks to the group as a whole which is made up of individuals
When you understanding the learner characteristics, you can make sure that you incorporate the all d learning styles / modes: visual, tactile aural.
It is important to make sure that every adult learner get an opportunity to really understanding what instructors are teaching. As the instructor is planning the lesson, they can make sure it is “student centered” and not “teacher-centered.” The environment must be conducive for learning for all students.
Hi Humberto,
You are right about our needing to establish a comfortable setting for learning. The students need to feel at ease when they enter. They need to know that they are going to receive a quality education from a dedicated professional. If we provide this then we will have done our job.
Gary
The more we know about our learners the better of we can be to tailor the lessons and demonstrations to help the student achieve greater success. The diversities that an educator may encounter in the class can be so vast and should seldom catch us by surprise. Calming peoples fears an putting them at ease by explaining the expectation or clarifying misconception are all part of the process.
Hi Jorge,
Right you are. This is why instructors need to use a wide variety of methods to instruct their students. This way the students can use their different learning preferences to acquire the knowledge.
Gary
every person has a different way of learning some are visual some are hands on some could readand understand.
Hi Oliver,
You make a number of good points about creating a supportive and comfortable environment for students. What are some strategies that you use to help get your classes off to a good start and the students feeling welcomed to your class?
Gary
We often are able to instruct the student better and meet the needs of the students when understand there needs. The adult learners are looking for rational accommodation to there needs and expect them to be met. I find most of my students respond best to a friendly but consistent environment
