Keep Students Motivated
As a math teacher, students often cringe when they come into class. They feel like they will not do well. The most important thing to do is to make them comfortable in the class with the human factor and make sure they know they can always ask for help. It is important for math retention to explain to students how they will use the math in their career field. I find the more you make the math relatable to their career the better they will have an understanding of the material.
Nestor,
You have a clear understanding of how best to teach a challenging course like this. You are using the approach we call eating the elephant. The age of old question is "How do you eat an elephant?" The answer-"one bite at a time." When I share that example my students start to see why and how the course is broken up for them. Understanding this they are then ready to get into the process of learning all of the required content in small manageable steps.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I teach a pharmacology course that the majority of the students fear. I try to break down this course into tiny bite size pieces accompanied with real life examples and scenarios that the students have unknowingly live through; that when I illustrate an example many of them have what I like to call an "ah-ha" moment. It's really great to see them grow comfortable with such a notoriously tough course.
Steven,
I think this is a terrific idea that yields tremendous results as evidenced by your comments. Students need to see what is required in terms of professionalism in their field. Knowing how to dress and conduct one's self will help move careers forward. Talking to CEOs help to give them the insight needed to set their own career goals.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
As an instructor, I often like to create projects for students that include their home or work life. I once assigned an assignment for students to interview CEOs of companies. Many of them were nervous about meeting with an actual CEO, or even the process of scheduling a meeting with them. The results were remarkable. The students came back with wonderful experiences, and I even had one student who could not wait to get to class to tell me that she had been offered a job. I explained to them about the importance of professionalism and how far a "please" and "thank you" can go today. These types of assignments motivate students by participating in opportunities that may not be available if they were not in school.
Amy,
You teach a tough subject that strikes fear in the hearts of almost everyone as you well know but since you realize this you are countering that fear with the human factor. My math instructors were cold distant teachers so not only was I afraid of math I was afraid of them. It wasn't until I got into my graduate program that I found out how much fun math can be. I had some great professors and helped me understand math as it relates to my field. You are doing that as well with your efforts. Helping them to see that English and math relate to all aspects of their everyday lives is a powerful motivator.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
