Instructor Enthusiasm.
The more ehtnusiastic the instructor, the more likely to have students become more involved in class.
Steven,
You are doing a great job of "connecting the dots" for your students between content and their interests. This is what good teaching is all about. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Enthusiasm is a valuable quality for anyone, regardless of the kind of work one does. The word “enthusiasm†is derived from a combination of Greek words meaning, “possessed by a god.†An enthusiastic person is someone who literally is inspired by a powerful force. In the literature on enthusiastic teaching, the word usually means “stimulating,†“animated,†“energetic,†or “mobileâ€. Most would agree that an enthusiastic classroom environment is a more interesting and stimulating place to be than in a dull or stolid environment. Hence, at the beginning, middle, and end of each course I display an extremely enthusiastic attitude towards my course material… but, it’s easy when the topic is “motorcyclesâ€.
In addition, I work from students' strengths and interests. I find out why students are enrolled in my course, how they feel about the subject matter, and what their expectations are. Then I try to devise examples, case studies, or assignments that relate the course content to students' interests and experiences. For instance, I might devote some lecture time to examining the relationship of new technology to racing. I find that any relationship to racing motivates most of my students.
i find that even if i act a little more excitable than my normal personality then the students respond exponentially. It's like being myself but just more intense. When i teach on my normal, daily 'setting,' the students do not engage.
