Kim,
The more connection to what is being studied the better. Field trips, guest speakers and case studies really help the students to see what they will encounter in the work world so they start to value the content being shared.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Stephanie,
They really do. These stories help to make the content come alive and give value to what they are learning. Not to mention it is fun to hear these stories and how their instructor worked through them.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Abby,
This is a good way to establish yourself as the learning leader. No matter your age you have career experience that puts you in the teaching role. Then it is as you have already experienced a building process in terms of student respect and rapport.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I ask the students to visualize the end product of their time on campus. How will they feel when they graduate. How they will feel when they get that first check. I even ask them to visualize small successes like passing the next exam. It has been well documented that performance improves when the task is visualized before it is performed.
I think students appreciate when information can be directly related to the field and their what will soon be their everyday life. Field experience, the good and the bad, can be very effective to engage the student. They can learn from the experiences the instructors have gone through and relate it to the job. This helps to get them excited about the career they have choosen.
My students love the stories I bring into the classroom. Whether it is a funny, sad, or crazy story, they always love to hear it...as long as it's related to the subject.
As an instructor with a young age i feel sharing my work experiences helps alot with motivation to the students. Also having empathy also helps alot with instructor student in the school.
I often use enthusiasm in my field. If it makes me excited and interested I will teach it that way.
I find the best motivator is to teach a subject, give all the technical info that goes along with it, and then to open the subject up for group discussion. This allows students to give their personal take on an issue, and how the subject is relavent to them.
Philip,
You are hitting on the right elements for teaching success. Bringing enthusiasm and passion into the classroom helps to sell the content and engage the learners. A win win for everyone.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
James,
They like to hear about experiences their instructors have had in the field because these experiences make the course content become real. In addition, these stories help to motivate students to be successful. Keep up the sharing.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Marita,
Students love stories that their instructors share because the stories help to make the course content real. Keep sharing them they really motivate them to be successful.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Donna,
Good to hear that you had instructors that challenged and engaged you as a student. I had such instructors in my student days as well. They inspired me to be the most effective and informed instructor I can be.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Trying to make coming to my class the best part of the students day. Using humor and high energy to show my enthusiasm for the subject. My subject is what I have loved to do for many years and the career that one choses should be fun!!
I found when i use my working experience and relay it to my students they find it very helpfull in understanding what i am trying to teach them
I find that my students love when I share experiences in the clinical field. They are always asking for more.
When I was a student, I was motivated because of all of the wonderful examples my instructors would give my class with regards to what happens in the office, etc. Now that I am an instructor, I do the same thing, and I find it motivates students to ask questions and can lead to some great discussions.
Justine,
Students really like to hear stories about their field. These stories keep them engaged as well help them to see that their instructors have lived through what they are being taught. We are all former students ourselves but many of our students don't realize this. We have been where they now sit. Our stories from the field reinforce why they are being taught what they are.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Start the first class with introductions. Tell the students something about you that they can relate to. Encourage students to introduce themselves and always allow for time at the end of the class period for a little Q&A about a topic that was discussed duirng class or a topic of interest to the students.
Provide a syllabus but also breakdown the assignments that are due on one page for quick reference - this will allow students to stay on track.
I like to use past experience as much as possible as well. I think it makes reality more concrete. If the student can relate the experience to someone in particular than it can become a goal for themselves to achieve much easier than just reading about the possibility. I think that it helps tremendously to have previous students come in to the classroom and speak to the current students as well.
