When the instructor is confident in their knowledge and gets excited about what they are presenting or teaching - the students get excited about the material as well. They look forward to going to the next class to see what they will be presented with from this dynamic instructor. It really rubs off on the students.
I teach various media courses and usually students are very excited about doing media as a career. Usually students who are unsure get enthusiasm from me and other students who are excited about the information they are receiving.
If an instructor is engaging, then the student will be more willing to attend class because they fear that if they miss class they will miss something of importance and the necessary practical skill necessary for advancement in their chosen career path.
Without instructor enthusiasm it is impossible for students to see the benefit and importance of the course. Enthusiasm builds momentum, it is the driver that keeps students motivated especially when content is difficult or overwhelming.
Joseph,
Yes, you need to bring enthusiasm to the class each time you teach. If you don't the students will soon drift away mentally if not physically. This is how you keep them focused on their career goals.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Deborah,
Passion is a key ingredient for teaching success. By bringing it and enthusiasm to the classroom you will greatly enhance the engagement of students as you know. Thank you for sharing your passion about your field with us.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
It may be the number one most important factor. Students become much more engaged with an instructor who is excited to teach. You should show the passion you have for the material that you are trying to teach.
Students will greatly appreciate an enthusiastic instructor.
If the Instrucot doesn't have passion, how can the students? I personally feel that you have to articulte that passion for your field to your students and I do the very first day. I tell them that I am so passionate about the field I work in that I teach becasue of it. I want them to know all the great things about it and see that I am so enthusiastic about bring them this information. I tell them that I want nothing more than for them to leave my class and this college with all the knowledge possible to achieve the same or similar result I have had. I do, in a way, hold myself up as the example of how, if you do it the right way, you cn be where I am. I feel that most students want what we as instuctors have achieved, so I tell them how to get there and show them how passionate I am about it.
Regina,
Good point. We have to bring passion and excitement to the course. If we don't it is going to be a very long class for the students as well as challenging for the instructor.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
When the students can see that their instructors are passionate about what they are teaching it makes the students want to learn, it makes them excited to come to that particular class. Just as we expect the students to come prepared to learn we have to be prepared to teach. The students can tell when an instructor is not prepared.
Dr. Meers,
I absolutely agree with you. It makes me sad to see negative instructors because it affects the students in a very negative way, which decreases the level of student learning and retention. I believe that some people start teaching because they were unable to do find a different position or they just didn't know what they wanted to do with their lives. However, I strongly believe that teachers who do not enjoy teaching should consider a different position. Our purpose is to help students learn and become more confident in themselves when they are applying for jobs after they graduate. We do not want them to feel discouraged, or even give up going to school.
Esra,
Right you are about the instructor setting the tone. If you aren't excited about the content and being there it is for sure the students won't be. I am always surprised at negative instructors that can't figure out why students don't like their courses when all they do is complain or whine.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
For me, instructor enthusiasm is one of the most significant factors in the classroom. If the instructor is enthusiastic in the classroom and enjoys what he/she is teaching, he/she will also be able to make it enjoyable for the students. Also, we need to think, if the instructor doesn't like what he/she is teaching, how can we expect the students to like the class?
the more enthusiastic the instructor, the more students are to listen and look forward to the class
Cheryl,
Your career experiences and stories help the content to come alive. As you know students really like it when instructors share their experiences because it makes the content come alive and shows relevancy.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Angela,
Right you are about mood and behavior. If we bring excitement to the classroom our students will catch some of it. If we come bored or without passion for our content they will catch that as well.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
The more we bring to the class room and show our excitement, the better. I'm always looking for new ways, and even trying to come up with guest speakers, such as former students to share what they've done in the OR. I think it helps when the students see, former students succeed, it boost their confidence as well.
Cheryl Tollefson
When an instructor is excited about their field of expertise, it keeps the students not only interested but excited about all the possibiliti4es. I love being a Surgical Technologist and I love seeing the looks on students faces, when I share my experiences in the OR.
Attitude is everything. If the instructor brings a negative attitude into the classroom the entire learning environment is ruined. Students will "feed" off their instructors energy whether it is negative or positive. It all goes back to MODELING.
It makes a huge difference. I have been school mot of my adult life and you can really tell an instructor who is interested in the subject they are teaching and one that is not. It always made a big difference to me in how vested I was in the class!!
