One of the ways I have found to get students excited about the course is to share with them experiences that I have had in the field. They seem to really enjoy hearing about real world experiences, especially when I add humor to the story. I believe that they retain information better as well when it is shared in the form of a story.
I have a minor advantage in the class that I teach. I am an instructor at a culinary school. MOST all of my students come to my class excited and passionate about food already, so it's easy to keep them motivated. In the instances that we get a few students that need a little extra motivation, I have a few strategies that seem to work. First of all, I make sure that every single piece of information or topic we cover is related to their chosen career path. Sometimes I see students get a "funny look" when a subject we're discussing seems unrelated to the bigger picture, so I make sure to bring everything back and relate it to our broader goals. I also try to utilize a lot of movement in class, and change the teaching style to appeal to all of my students.
Hi Chuck,
I think you are right on target. Having passion for the content and the subject matter is vitally important and being able to visible and verbally demonstrate that enthusiasm and passion is a great starting point. What do you think about using humor as a way to get students engaged and excited? Do you find it works or are there situations that did not work with humor?
Well being an instructor for massage class there's always room for on-hands bodywork and new strokes
Hi Jessica,
Your love for the course and the energy level you project will make the student like/respect the subject matter. Passion and excitement start at the top, which is with the instructor.
Patricia
Hi Travis,
Students really get into the course if applicable stories/experiences are shared.
Patricia
I share specific stories of events experienced by myself or other professionals that drive home the need or importance of subject matter being shared.
Hi Leslie,
They sure do enjoy real world experiences outside of the classoom. Students want to know how things are like in the real world.
Patricia
Anne,
I do the same thing. We ALWAYS start with a personal essay. This gives the students a chance to tell their own story. I love teaching them that everyone has a story to tell. The assignment always results in very passionate writing. It's a great starting point. Unfortunately in a 100 level course, you don't have the freedom to write more personal essays, but it's a start!
Jessica
Ellen and Patricia,
I agree with this sentiment 100%. I am a young instructor, but I am very passionate and enthusiastic about both teaching and my subject matter. This is something that is very obvious to my students and has, in turn, helped to keep them interested.
It is my goal, not for students to love the subject matter when they leave (because that isn't going to happen for everyone), but instead to have a respect for the subject matter. I think my passion and enthusiasm really helps foster this respect.
Jessica
During my first class period, I love to do fun ice breakers. They often to not relate directly to the course material,but they get students thinking and working together.
I hand out word puzzles and have the students try to figure them out on their own. Usually they won't get more than 1/4 of the answers. Before revealing answers, I have them get into small groups to pool their knowledge. The number of correct answers tends to increase dramatically.
After the activity is completed, I explain that the point isn't to get the most correct answers, but to show them that as a team they are stronger. I love watching the wave of realization hit students.
I have my students do peer reviews and having the ice breaker as a foundation really helps motivate them to help one another. It also helps to show them that EVERYONE has valuable input.
I share real world experiences with my class, they enjoy finding out how the coding world works outside of the classroom.
We go through the relevant material, then I give them an example or demonstration of how this material actually is applied. I'm a prosecutor and teach criminal justice classes, so usually these examples are dramatic or at least interesting. Then we discuss why things were done the way they were and what the alternatives were and what the advantages or disadvantages are of those alternatives. It seems to get them thinking not only about what the material is, but why it is the way it is.
* Websites that enforce class content.
* Motivational quotes, related to their career choice.
In teaching business, criminal justice, and paralegal courses, I can almost always find a current topic in the news that relates to the course. Whether it's a newspaper article or a video clip from the evening news, this helps the students see that course content has real-world applications. In short order, the students start to look for these topics in the news, and they bring the examples to class.
I teach mostly portfolio classes so I start by taking them online to a variety of professional and freelance sites that they should know about...sites that have specific examples of software uses, sites that have competitions that they can get involved in. Unfortunately sometimes it is a bit intimidating for them but I tell them that they really need to know where the bar is and what is expected of them in this industry. Rather than letting them focus on how high it may seem I try to focus them on skills that they need to have an how to get there...how to look at the glass as half full rather than half empty...how to objectively critique their own work and why. We discuss the sites and the works contained in them. Then I show them some sites that aren't so professional and we discuss those as well.
I've been teaching for about a year after having
worked on the field for 15 years. I usually explain the students in what way the particular subject matter has benefitted me in my work, the opportunities and possibilities that it can present to them in their own careers.
I try to find out about all the fields represented in my course then I try to talk about how the course if revelant to success in those lines of work. Also we do lots of "games", because even adults like to have fun! We take the information and time/time we do things like play jeopardy, who wants to be a millionaire etc, with course information.Winners get things that would be relevant practical needs, jump drives, blank cds, etc...
Melissa Mccloud
I get our students interested and excited by letting them know that I am a past student of the course and that I understand how they must be feeling starting out new, with unknown classmates.
We then, collectively, walk through certification flash cards, so that the students can see the varying information that they will attain througout the course. The last week of the class also has us going through the certification flash cards, and they are stunned and excited to see how much they have learned
Some of the courses that I teach are certification courses. I sell them on the value of these certifications on their resumes as a way of distinguishing them from other applicants. I also sell them on the certifications as a tool that can prove their comprehension of material that may help them advance more quickly in their studies. When I teach math, I make it about money. I tell them that this class is going to help them if the want to make money. It's going to help them catch mistakes before they lose money, and it's going to help them learn strategies to maximize profit and minimize investment. I tell them that if they need green in their business, this is the classroom to be in.
