Focus for myself
I teach Surgical Technolgy and I find it's easy to lose the attention of my students if I meander away from the topic even if it's only for a few minutes. I, the instructor, have to be as sharp as a tack to stay on task even though what I'm trying convey sometimes relies upon sharing my experiences to paint the picture to match my daily lecture material. "Sharing" can easily turn into an all out Q&A session if I don't hang on to my reins tightly. When my students get so excited and inquisitive is when losing focus takes place. It can difficult to draw the line between "sharing" and actual book lecture; both are so valuable.
Lorena,
Yes, they do and they appreciate it when their instructor brings them back on track. This is what a learning leader should be doing to keep the class moving forward.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I really like one of the questions we can ask: Have we lost the point? something like that...students do appreciate getting back on track. They know the value is in the content even when it's easier to just socialize.
Susan,
Thank you for these comments about achieving balance between content and application. It is a challenge we face as we plan our instructional delivery. We need to keep the class moving forward in terms of content while sharing stories and examples of how they can apply it without losing their attention.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
