Hi Becki,
Having an enthusiastic instructor such as yourself is absolutely awesome! Excitement starts at the top with the instructor.
Patricia
Hi Martin,
Whenever the course is applicable to the real world students understand the relevance.
Patricia
True but I think it is more their goals rather than their skills
Yes, of course. I think a lot of it depends on the type of student that you are teaching (i.e., reading ability, etc.)
Mostly by explaining what they will learn, all the while connecting it to my real world experience so that they can readily see the connection between the course and how they might apply it. I also ask why they are taking course and what they want to get out of it. I then show how the learning material meets those needs.
I try to relate it to what they are going to be doing on the job. I try to show my enthusiasm for the course. I try to have students play an active role in their education.
I try to ask them what they think the course is about. I also try to get them physically involved in the class. I have them stand up and perform motions that they should have learned about in their readings. This is a way that I also can determine if they understand what they have read or what I lectured about.
Hi Bret,
You certainly use a variety of teaching methods. You sound like you do a great job by applying history to the present. Students enjoy it more when they can relate.
Patricia
Hi Natalie,
Making any topic applicable to the real world is a sure way to generate excitment. Students can better relate when the topic is applied to the real world.
Patricia
Hi Shelley,
Thank you for trying to broaden your knowledge base by doing research to share with our students to generate excitement and to increase their knowledge base.
Patricia
My role is a facilitator in communicating knowledge to students in both clear and engaging ways. Sometimes, in a history class I speak about an event which took place 200 hundred years ago. I make this information more relevant by showing how a similar event is taking place in the present. I also use powerpoint presentations which have illustrations and follow-up questions. I also have students break into groups to study the assigned questions for each session. This helps build a rapport between students and healthy competition.
I like to research the medical field that the group of students are entering and then directly relate that to the course material.
I show the students pictures and articles about the course that they are taking. I am the Program Director for the Criminal Justice program and I have 46 years in this field and how this field has been good to me and my family. I send my students out on real cases, when asked by State and local Police departments. This is a plus when they want this knowledge.
I like making the course applicable to their everyday experiences
One effecive method I have been able to use is to take whatever the tipoc is and utilize the introduction of that topic to build up the students internally. An example might be to give an example of the coming topic and then ask the students if they might have experienced success in a particular way that relates to the topic.
I teach management courses. The majority of my students have had previous work experience and can relate to poor management practices and good management practices. On the first night of class, I conduct a team exercise where I ask the students to list qualities of a bad manager and qualities of a good manager. I ease the student's fears by telling them the examples that they give do not have to be textbook examples. This activity leads to some excellent group discussion and allows me to determine the students' needs. I can determine the functions of management that may need clarification. I also tell students that this is "their" class and encourage the students to give me feedback so that I can facilitate a course that will best meet their personal goals as well as course objectives.
Hi Carin,
Students gain a keen interest in the subject matter when they understand they can benefit personally and/or professionally.
Patricia
I am lucky enough to teach a topic which usually ignites students- law! I am a paralegal instructor. I start every class for my criminal law case with some local news case that is appropriate to criminal law- this has really worked in getting the students excited. Most days we have to time our discussion because teh students get so wrapped up- I think making the topic "real" and showing real life application is the number one method I use to get my students excited about my courses.
Letting them know how each session will address how they can grow both personally and professionally.
I have a three-fold process that I use to get my students excited about the course content. I make sure that at the beginning of every class I voice about what we will be learning and why it is important to the students when they work out in their given field, I express my own excitement about these different topics and I give real world examples from my previous experiences.
For example, when covering a certain body system, I try and bring some real world examples about different diseases/conditions that the students may have heard about, and some interesting examples about some lesser known diseases/conditions that I have found particulary interesting.
