uninterested students
i have some students who are only taking my course because it is a requirement.
what are some ways i can get them interested in the subject matter?
Glen,
This is a good approach to take because in the end it is about their career and potential income that gets their attention. This also helps them to see why they are being asked to study the content that is being presented.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I find that it helps to show the student how much more marketable it could make them in their field of choice and that in turn could result in more workplace acceptance and possible future advancement just by a working knowledge of this seemingly disinteresting aspect of their endeavour
Troy,
Great work with this student. Your personal concern for his success and your willingness to have a conversation with him about his attitude and success in the class paid off big time. It is amazing at how just a little time and effort can turn many students around.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
every once in a while you will encounter a student that has no interest in the curiculum.the direction that i have gone in the past with a student was i had a one on one conversion with that student just to find out what would interest him. i found a couple simularities with his interests and with what i had to offer. the student actually turned around his attendance and G.P.A.. just because of our one on one.
Troy Marto,
Auto motive instructor
Tracy,
Hopefully your message gets through to the students because as a result of your career experience you know having this knowledge will be a career asset. Many students cannot see beyond just passing the current course. Anything that can be done to expand their vision will be helpful as them move forward in their career.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
My students are all in Medical Assisting and really complain about being in the coding classes. I tell my students that you never know where you will be in 5 to 10 years. Learn this information so that you are well rounded and you have a skill that someone else does not have. This might be the difference in your hiring process that you have "more feathers" in your hat.
Julia,
I agree with you. They come in with the attitude that the course has no value to them nor their future. Your bringing of passion for your content and enthusiasm for teaching it really helps to sell the course to your students. It is for sure if you are not excited about the course the students won't be either.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
most of the time I believe students who are not interested in a course usually don'y fully understand what it is about, and have already set their assumptions and opinions on the subject. I try to open their eyes, with my enthusiasm and passion on the subject.
Carlton,
Thank you for the encouragement and support you are providing to other participants in this course. You are so right about the need for enthusiasm in teaching. It is for sure that if we are not excited our students are not going to be excited. Keep winning those students over.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Hi Stephanie,
This is common as you know. My personal enthusiasm for the subject I teach has won over a couple of students. The student wil sometimes be dragged along and get into it as well.
Regards,
C. Lindsay
Murielle,
These examples bring value to the course content. Through application and relevancy the students get to see why they are being taught what they are and how they will use that information once they are in the workplace. This is what makes the ROI for the students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree, giving the students real life examples as to the use of a topic that is challenging for them seems to really be helpful. I also like to ask the students to provide me with such examples so that they relate to it more strongly having done the research themselves.
Hi Joshua,
Yes, I agree...this type of student can be a real challenge. For me, I make an attempt to find something the student is interested in, even if discovered via a one-on-one discussion prior to or after class. This discussion initially has nothing to do with the course. Once found, I try to find a way to connect this interest to the course by asking "guided questions" (guide them with questions) and done so with genuine interest in the student and their answers. It takes extra effort, but hits a home run if you can bridge the two.
This approach fosters genuine interest and enlightenment as well as good rapport.
Joshua,
Yes it is true. We cannot reach them all. This always makes me sad but each time I teach a course I know that one or two of the students have never been engaged in the course. This may be due to their attitudes, life issues or something else. I wish that I could reach them but I always try to do my best. I want to feel that at the end of the course I have done all that I can do to help them be successful. It was their choice not to pass the course and move forward in their career development.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Isn't it true that at some level, there will always be those few students who will lack motivation based on course requirements? It is necessary as educators that we do our best to create understanding of the importance in our class, but if those efforts fail, you cannot jeopordize the remaining classroom just to try to recover the few?
Stephanie,
Do what you can to help them to see the connection between their career area and the course. Make as many applications as you can with your content and their career choice. The more examples you can share the value they will start to associate with the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Wendy,
Making application of the content is so critical. It increases the value of the course to the student as well as showing them why they should buy in to what is being taught. Good work in helping them to see the ROI of your course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I try to find ways to show students why this material is important to their career goals. They may not understand what the course is really about, Give them some real=life scenarios that show how the material presented in class "saved" you in your career. Try to make these connections in class, with in-class activites. Studentw who are just taking the corse to pass won't be motivated to do much homework, but if you motivate them in class, they may folow through outside
