In my own experience I have noticed that if I am performing poorly and discouraged by those around me, I tend to give up more easily and not try again. However if I am performing poorly and someone steps in to encourage me and give me helpful advice, I am much more likely to continue trying until I succeed. I believe students also need encouragement from their instructors and peers, and it is wonderful to see students teaching other students! This may be a turning point for some students who feel unsure of themselves, but are then cheered on by their classmates as they try to improve. This type of positivity also fosters a pleasant and supportive environment. It's a win-win situation for everyone involved!
James,
Good point because you are connecting the dots for them when you move them from the cognitive area (classroom) to the tactile/physical area (lab). Once those dots are connect then they see the relevance and application of what is being taught and learning really takes off.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Some students are a little lost in the class but when you take them to lab for some hands on they seem to respond well. At this time they understand what was talked about in class.
Michael,
This is a very important factor in keeping students enrolled in school. Knowing they are part of a supportive learning community goes a long way in keeping them engaged and focused on their future.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree with April in that tying the lecture with hands-on helps greatly with adult learners. I also learn this way and it seems to really turn on the light bulb per say for the students when in Lab. I also use field trips to dental offices for the students to experience first hand how it will be in the 'real world' as a change of pace.
When students feel accepted in the course they experience less stress and become confident that they are expected to be successful in the learning environment. Feeling accepted in the class makes the student feel they are genuinely a part of the class and a contributor to its overall objectives.
Jeffery,
There is the social aspect of career development and students need to see how it works and how they can work with others in diverse settings. The more experiences you provide them while they are in your class the better prepared they are going to be when they enter the workplace.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
For the most part I believe people who must interact with other people desire to be accepted. Whether they are or not certainly does not define them or their worth, but I believe it absolutely has a positive effect on their success. Reaching individual success points provide growth, but doing so while being accepted and respected by a peer group can provide exponential growth.
Gary,
This is a great way to help students to get to know other students better plus they learn how to work with different personalities. This is training they need to have so they will be able to work with diverse personalities when they are in the workplace.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I pick the students lab partners and where they sit. This makes them learn about another person. Then I change their lab partner on different days when the subject changes. It has helped with breaking the stereotypes and making them comfortable answering questions in front of others since they have more of a bond with the group.
Rita,
You make a very good point about meeting them where they are. By doing so you are able to customize your approach to and provide support as is needed which will result in increased student retention.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
It is important for me to meet the student where they are and go from there. They all have a different starting point; the older student, the younger student, etc.
Herbert,
Thank you for this perspective. Your observations are very reflective the the students that we are getting in our career colleges today. The more we can make our instruction have relevance and application the higher our retention is going to be and with higher retention comes greater student satisfaction and success.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I spent twenty years as a university professor before entering the field of community college and technical education. The age differences and the reasons why the students were attending was a shocking change for me. I wish I had had this information about the various types of students ten years ago. I would not have had to learn this by trial and error. Today, this information has reinforced those understandings I gained through experience. Unfortunately, I see where I have made mistakes and hopefully will never make those again. At the university level, I was encouraged to allow students to fail since we were often overloaded with students. At the technical school level, I learned how important it is that students feel they are a part of something bigger than themselves and that they can, if they wish, make a contribution to that purpose. Today, I encourage my students to contribute and see the value of their own experiences and knowledge (no matter their age) and know they are valued and accepted.
Lee,
Great to hear how the course has been of help to you. I wish you continued teaching success and that you will be able to impact the lives of your students as they move toward their career choices.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
There is a big experience span in our class environment. We have students from 18 years old to 40 years old. Some fresh out of high school and some with years of military experience. It can be a challenge teaching the basics to new and experienced people. This course has helped me understand what motivates each group and how to apply it in our situation. You can not overestimate the value of experienced students in this setting. I can see where I need to use life experiences with the older students to increase learnativity with the younger. I am sure this will benefit everyone.
Students who feel accepted don't worry about ridicule from their peers allowing the student to freely speak and think and learn.
Students who feel comfortable will likely have a much easier time in the learning environment. Establishing this in environment is the beginning, but will take time and endurance to continue to foster it throughout a course.
Gleb,
Right you are so we need to establish a way to get all students engaged as we start off a new course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Robin,
You are providing such a valuable set of supports to your students since their major barriers to student success are the life challenges they face outside of school. The more those challenges can be handled the more focused the students can be in their studies and career development.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
