Moods are infectious! If the instructor enters the classroom with enthusiasm for the topic, the students will embrace it. I try to end each day with some positive things we will be doing in the next class so the students will look forward to coming to class. I try to spread out the truly fun activities so that everyday students are learning interesting topics, or skills. I find new information for the classes I will be teaching the next term so I do not get burnt out on a topic, that will come across to the studnets and that is when they do not want to be in class
Instructor enthusiasm facilitates and sets the tone for the learning environment and process. The instructor as a leader should be an example of the importance and value of the material being presented to students, which will encourage them to assimilate knowledge and see opportunities for application of it in their personal lives and career goals. Staying "jazzed up" about what you are sharing with you students is crucial to motivating them to learn and care about what is being presented to them. Keeping students' motivated is critical to student retention and develops a positive "social" setting in your classroom. Students should see the learning experience as fun and look forward to class and instructor enthusiasm fosters this preferred behavior, which in turn supports student retention.
Rory,
I agree. Excitement and enthusiasm by the instructor helps to generate both in the students. It is for sure if the instructor isn't motivated to be in the class the students aren't going to be. Teaching is a great occupation, we get to teach what we are passionate about and get a paycheck besides. What's not to like?
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I think it is important for the instructor to be very enthusiastic when dealing with students in general. If the instructor is not enthusiastic about what he or she is doing then the student will not be. This will have an effect on retention and over the long-term you will loose students.
Issy,
I always like hearing and/or reading your last sentence. That says it all. You love your job and it shows. That sets the stage for success with your students due to your excitement and enthusiasm. Keep serving as a model and continuing to impact lives!
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Timothy,
Glad to hear of your continued excitement about your field. You are right about it being easy to fall into a routine that takes away the enthusiasm that once was there. We need to revisit our approach on a regular basis so we stay fresh and passionate about our field.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Hi Denver, something that I have thought about is that giving them something to look forward to helps them stay as well. We all have been in those classes where we did not want to miss a certain day that was going to be important.
Best,
Martha Moore
I believe this to be a very important aspect of teaching and containing student retention. If you as an instructor are not enthusiastic and passionate about your school facility, course material and students it is directly reflected to your students. I love my job and it shows!
It's easy to fall into a routine and have a ho-hum attitude when the material is something that you not only know really well, but have taught several times. I find that working on side projects in the field and sharing these experiences with my students helps me to stay excited about what I'm teaching. As a result, they see that the career path they've chosen is a rewarding one that is worth the effort they are putting in.
Nathaniel,
Right you are about the excitement factor. Yes, we are edutainers in many ways.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Edutainment!!! Powerful influence on your students. If you think about it, a boring professor, with boring lectures makes for boring test scores. When a Professor is full of life and exerts that energy to the student they begin to feel upbeat and more ready to learn.
Tiwauna,
It sure does. Enthusiasm is catching just as is boredom. So we need to bring excitement to the classroom and passion for our field. This will help sell the content.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
When I show enthusiasm in my topic or lecture the class will become involve and retain the information based on their involvement.
I know that if I were to go to a class that was taught by a teacher that had no passion for the course work, it would be really hard for me to have a passion for it as well.
I feel this is the most important part of teaching. If the instructor looses enthusiasm for the content he/she is teaching it makes for a very boring course and the students suffer because the material will be thrown at them and students seem as though the instructor does not care about their success. Just as someone in the healthcare field that is tired of what they do, the patients suffer because of the lack of bedside manners and compassion for that patient is lost.
An instructor's enthusiam plays an domino effect. If the giver of the information is excited then the reciever of the information will be just as eagered to get all he or she can.
Instructor enthusiasm is displayed not only by facial expression, but also by their tone and body language. This creates an an environment for students to participate in the class session, and not get bored with the facilitator and the message!
Pat,
It makes a great difference. We need to "sell" the content we are offering. If we are excited about it the students will be to. Plus, it is a lot of fun to teach about something you know and get paid for it as well.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
If the students see that the instructor is enthusiastic about the material, it legitimizes the subject, giving them a reason to think the material is actually applicable to their future careers.
It also peaks their interest, giving them a reason to think that there's something here that's worth looking at. It also motivates them to take an interest and get excited about the material themselves.
So far as I have observed, student attitude will at some point start to mirror the instructors. If the instructor has no enthusiasm, the class material will become boring and the instructor will loose the interest of the class. Once he looses that interest the student will be the one to suffer because he will not get the material and could potentially loose interest in the class and the program he is enrolled in.
