Hi Dennis,
Well said concerning how we need to always be at the top of our game even when we don't feel like it. This shows the level of our professional dedication.
Gary
As the module pointed out, staying at peak performance requires constant modulation and effort. Many distractions and energy destroyers can pull an instructor away from peak success in a course. The technique of REFOCUS provides steps to keep energy high and to stay at a consistently high level for one's students.
Hi Milton,
Good point in terms of showing students both application and relevancy to what they are learning. They need someone to at times "connect the dots" for them because they can get caught up in being students and forget they are actually learning sometime of value.
Gary
The instructors must refocus to re energize the class. After a few weeks it becomes a matter of arent on task and what is going to happen if we don't finish the material in the syllabus. In my experience it is best to step back and evaluate the students weaknesses and strengths and decide how to redirect the class. It isn't as important to finish all the material as to make sure the students understand what they have done and where it is applied to their field of study. When an instructor takes time to refocus at midterm, he/she can decide what in the course outline will be most beneficial for the students to receive. One should be selective of the material that directly relates to the students area of studies. If the majority of class is in the medical field it is important that they understand unit rates, proportions and metric units of measurement. This would be relative to the nurse assistants that I teach. They need to be able to do drug calculations and measure the correct dosage of medicine.
Hi Richele,
You have got that right. We have had some rather warm days with sunshine and everyone perked up . We are expecting a major snow storm and I could see the spirits of my students sinking. I had to pull out a lot of activities and get them ramped back up so they can make it through the next few weeks of weather while staying focused on the acquiring the course content.
Gary
It is improtant to refocus particularly when you get in the middle of the course, enthusiasm begins to wan. Especially in the winter term here in NEPA, everyone is looking forward to spring and the end of the term.
Hi Rebekah,
Great to hear this teaching success story. You are to be commended for your extra effort in helping your students not only learn the content but also develop social skills that will help them in their careers. Keep up the good work because you are making a difference.
Gary
I really identify with this topic and have taken such a long time to complete this class because so much of this is so relevant to this quarter classroom dynamics. The refocus is so necessary because sometime you have to completely revamp what activities you usually do to accommodate different classroom demographics. So even if you have all your tests, plans etc sometimes you have to change quite a bit surrounding how you will teach them beyond the usual learning styles parameters. I have a group double the size of the last 2 quarters and about 20% who have very low social skills. This has been challenging at the same time I am proud of some of the strategies I have done differently to accomplish my syllabi objectives/goals. It's been great but a little stressful. I am now looking at it differently and as a way to never become stagnant in teaching this particular class. So in some ways it is energizing me to go on despite some stressful classroom dynamics which are now improving but would not have if I did it the way I always do it.
I am now looking at what we have done and were we need to go and thinking of more great activities to do for the rest of the second half of the quarter.
Hi Andrew,
Thank you for this insight into how to stay excited about both the field and teaching. Your comments about introducing new things into the course are right on with keeping both you and the content fresh. I have been teaching for many years and I introduce at least one new strategy, activity, lecture, assignment, etc. every time I teach the course. That way I get to be creative as well as excited because I am never sure how the new endeavor will turn out. A little mystery never hurt anyone. Once the new unit is completed I am very excited because I know I have added another teaching tool to my skill set.
Gary
Hi Joshua,
Right you are about the need for instructors to take a step back and refocus at times. What are some ways you do this as you are moving through a course?
Thanks in advance for your input on this.
Gary
Hi Marvin,
So true but often forgotten by instructors as they get bogged down with grading papers, doing quizzes and all the other things involved in instructional planning. They need to stop and REFOCUS on why they are there and what they are offering their students so they can get excited about their courses and help the students finish off at a high level of excitement.
Gary
Dear Dr. Meers,
As an instructor in a culinary program who has taught the same course in our school since the beginning, I occasionally need to refocus my subject matter in order to keep myself fresh and sustain student excitement. I was getting bored with the material and found myself heading into a rut. I found that adding more research, information, and cooking twists to challenge the students paid off with the students responding positively and their excitement enabled me to become rejuvenated. Bottom line, get the students excited and you become excited.
Instructors after time get them selves into a groove. Which isn't always a bad thing. But when this groove becomes too routine then the class suffers. Every instructor needs to take a step back after every lesson and do an honest self evaluation on them self and the material they are delivering. It is all about evaluation all the time.
Instructors can become just as (UNFOCUSED) throughout the term as students in the class. Instructors must make sure that they keep the class and lectures enthusiastic and relevant to the class. If the instructor starts to show a lack of care or excuberance in the class, then why would a student want to keep working hard and accomplishing goals of the class.Instructors must keep focused toward the end goal of students gaining new knowledge, skills, and insights within the class.
Just as the student gets run down so does the instructor. I find myself run down during the course of a class quite often. By the time the mid-term of the course rolls around the students and instructor may start to lag somewhat. This is when it becomes crucial to start the "REFOCUS" mentality. If the instructor is not focused on the task at hand or enthusiatic about cousre content, then students will become predominantly less effective to themselves and the course materials. We are human and tend to focus are enrgies off of others sometimes. After all, who makes us feel better. The soft spoken, doesn't get motivated over anything or lacks excitement of any sorts friend or the friend that is happy, active, and excited to do things with you and others. Friend number 2, RIGHT!! Therefore, the instructor needs to keep the class alive and kicking!
Hi Cheyney,
Good advice for us all. We need to bring our A game to the classroom every time we teach. This is hard at times because we just don't feel like, have had something in our lives that has distracted us, or we didn't prepare as we should. Like you said this is disrespectful to the students as well as being unfair.
Gary
Hi Beth,
I agree with you about the time a new course takes. In addition, the activities and assignments you select may or may not work since you haven't tried them before so this means there is some risk to the new course as well.
I am like you though in that I try to introduce something new in each of my courses each session. The reason is that it keeps me fresh planning the new activity and offers me variety in delivering it so I don't fall into a routine.
Gary
I find students have a very keen ability to sense when I am not 100%. Not only is the learning process stopped, it is a sign of disrespect to my students to not 'show up'. I will read some of my favorite books about cooking and our industry, about psychology and teaching and remember how much and why I enjoy this creative and engaging process. It is usually very easy to REFOCUS; as my campus president will tell us, if this isn't the best job you have every had, tell my and I will help you find a new job! This is the best thing I have ever done.
I find prepping a new course overwhelming. The first time around with a course is just incredibly demanding, and it leaves me with less time to "shake things up" in other courses. I think even just changing one element per term in a course can help. I think the crisis simulation is a good example of just getting something different into the course to help students get out of the routine of the class and see what they have learned.
Instructors need to be enthusiastic to be effective. If instructors believe their content is boring students will as well. This will create an environment that is not conducive to learning.
