keeping your focus on your students
Always keep your focus on your students and it is very important to value the opinions of your students.
Amy,
I support your use of the check up method. I give out 3X5 cards after assignments, quizzes, etc. and have the students give me feedback on how the activities went and see if they have any suggestions. The students are very candid but never vindictive in their comments. I think can make any adjustments that might be needed while keeping the course moving forward.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think as instructors we do get caught up in the schedule and meeting all the objectives that we sometime forget about making sure we are meeting our end goal of helping our students. I think it is important to due a check-up to make sure the class is with you and follow up many times during the quarter. If we can make sure they are progressing in the right direction then we can encourage our students to stay focus.
Melissa,
I agree about instructors losing their focus and not being student centered. As long as we keep our end mission of helping our students to move toward their career goals and do our best to help them in their progress we will have good results and earn the respect of our students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Each term I have to compile the results of midcourse surveys and it shows when an instructor looses focus of the student. Too many times instructors get caught up in teaching to a lesson plan, syllabus, or a test that they loose focus of the student.
Ana-Maria,
This is one of the challenges as well as benefits of teaching. We get to customize our instruction to and for specific individuals while still providing education to a collective group. This requires creativity and critical thinking in order to provide such opportunities.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Being that our student population is so diversified (different ethnic and age groups) sometimes individualized attention and specific guidance is need it.
Maria,
Student centered instruction is where success can be found. They are the target of all that we do and we need to remember that each time we step into the classroom.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
