Hi John,
It is important to build a rapport with your students. I can tell you have great relationships with your students.
Patricia
Hi John,
I am a witness to students being talked into various careers. Whenever students ask me about a career I give them various websites to obtain information.
Patricia
Hi Jamie,
Whenver students realize that the material is valuable, the student has a total different attitude. The student wants to absorb as much valuable information as possible.
Patricia
I start each course by explaining the value of the material to be presented to their career field. This seems to capture their attention and most often spawns questions that would otherwise not be asked. Questions about their personal vehicles or problems they have faced but not resolved. These questions help them to solidify the value of the instruction as I relate the information to their issues.
I agree with your use of humor and detailing salaries in the market. Too many students are talked into a career without really understanding the pay, hours, or career opportunities.
Nice post!
Beth,
I agree. Situations don't change...just the faces in them!
I too like to give real examples from my time in indusrty to my students. I think it not only makes it "more real" but lets them know we are human too with the same problems and goals they have. Little bit of classroom "bonding" if you will.
Thanks.
John
First, to get students to understand course requirements, I read through the syllabus and the course addendum with them. I highlight the points that they should pay extra attention to, and I stop several times throughout to make sure that they do not have any questions. I do realize that many students find it boring to go through all of this; however, if I were to give the students the assignment of reading through everything on their own, I know that they would not all do it. I have heard of instructors giving syllabus tests...I may try that in the future. What I do now works, though, for me and my students. I also have the students sign a sheet of paper after we go through the material.
To get students excited about the courses I teach, I try to be really excited about the material, especially on the first day of class. If I don't look bored, most of the time they won't look bored. I also try to relate as much material as possible to the real world. I hope to teach all of my students that what they learn in my class can be incorporated into the workplace.
It is hard to get students 'excited' about Accounting. However, I usually take some time to explain the job opportunties available to accountants, auditors and tax professionals in today's tough economic times. When I tell them the starting salaries for these fields, I get their attention. I also try to alleviate their fear of accounting - most think it is extremely difficult and hard to master - by telling them of my initial problems in accounting and how I overcame them. I also use a lot of humor in my class and use a ton of real world examples to show them not all accountants are near sighted geeks and how accounting knowledge can be used in everydaylife.
I have found that the use of real life examples in my classes help. I use stories for my years in the industry and students find the the times have changed but many of the problem have not.
Thanks Patricia. Gald to be part of this course.
Hi Alan,
I can tell that you are a caring instructor. It is important for our students to realize that we don't live a perfect life. There are many things that we have to deal with as well. Students want to hear our experiences.
Patricia
Hello Jeffrey,
Students want to know how the information that they will learn will help them in the real world. Students are more engaged if they know why they are learning the information.
Patricia
Hi John,
Great simple examples to utilize. You are on point. Students really and truly want to know the value of each course they take. It sounds like you do a super job explaining the value of each course.
To get students excited about a course and understand the course requirements, I give them examples from my own personal experience and how the course will apply to them. By showing them the real value behind any course, you can get them engaged right from the start, rather than work to bring them along as the course unfolds.
An example would be to show them how I used math to correct a shortage of change at the store or how I applied good grammar when speaking with my supervisor so they would respect what I was saying. Then, I ask them to think of examples from their own life where - if they had done things diffeently - they would have had a more favorable outcome. Once they can relate it to their own life, they are more willing to embrace the concepts you are presenting.
I think the biggest thing I do is talk to them about how the information they are going to learn will help them in the real world. I show them examples of real world siutations and tell them at the end of the course they will be able to fix those types of problems.
I have 30 years of managerial experience in the business world. So, I will relate times in my career when knowledge from a class like this one was utilized in a professional setting. I give examples of my college classroom experiences so they can relate my stories to their feelings. Whenever possible I attempt to convey to the students that their teacher is a real live human being also who has life experiences and issues just as they do. I also will make an emotional appeal to the students how important it is to me that they learn the subject matter of this class so they can be successful in their career.
I think the biggest thing I do is talk to them about how the information they are going to learn will help them in the real world. I show them examples of real world siutations and tell them at the end of the course they will be able to fix those types of problems.
Hello Daniel,
Wow, a great idea, the group website. I can see how the students appreciate such fabulous tool.
Patricia
Hi Nicol,
I deviate from the book a lot. I like putting concepts in lamons term so that students can get it. Students tend to appreciate the simplicity of the explanation.
Patricia
It helps with our dress code; we require scrubs. I had a student who actually walked taller when she finally got her scrubs! Another instructor even commented about how, with the scrubs and her hair being back, she looked so different!!
