I teach math. Many students come with a fear of the subject and bad experiences. Once they find an accepting atmosphere in the classroom, they drop the arguement "I won't need this". It seems that they understand the need from the start, but use "When will I ever need this?" as a cover story.
Showing a student that they will do well is the main function of all teachers
Hi Paul,
You really have a lot to offer your students. You can really get them to buy in. I know you have marvelous stories to share with your students. I am sure you can really make the topic interesting based on your many years of experience.
Patricia
Hi Pamela,
I concur! I would like to add that both enthusiasm and passion are contagious! They both are also worth catching.
Patricia
After working in the court system for 26 years and being involved with over 14,000 juveniles I wanted to do something different. I deceided on teaching and I have loved every minute of it. I often draw on examples from that career during my Psychology classes and it never fails to provoke questions from the students. I use these questions to enhance the subject matter as to how the topic of the evening is used on three levels, personal relationships,career matters, and on their children.Often this leads to much discussion that enables me to continue to thread the lesson of the day into our conversations.
I feel using a Field Trip and having a guest lecture are two very good approaches to getting these students to buy into their programs..
Be enthusiastic about the work. I teach in a medical assistant program and there are always great clinic stories to brighten the lesson. Show your passion - it is contagious!!
Hi Paul,
This is a great way for students to see the importance and relevance of the course. Students need to understand why they need the course.
Patricia
I would ask the students to provide me with examples of how the course material would be applied to their chosen career endeavers.
I agree with one of the comments another instructor listed below regarding "relevance". As much as I can, I try to draw connections between the general education courses I instruct to what the students might experience in their professional life. I assume that instructors who teach program-specific courses have less of a challenge showing relevance than those of us who instruct in the general education core.
I have a very simple response to your comment - AMEN. It is us - the instroctors - and the excitement and passion we demonstrate for our subject area that gets the buy-in. Yes, all the interactive activities and hands on activities in the early phases of the courses is helpful - but it still comes down to the commitment and excitement that the instructor demonstrates and thereby activates. Enthusiasm - like humor, fear and sadness - is contagious. - bill arbes
Hi Dale,
Once you share with your students how they will benefit from the course. They are really sold on the course.
Patricia
I try to make sure that students understand the value of the Algebra course they are taking, as it will help them directly in their field when doing dosage calculations, converting formulas, solving problems with scientific notation and reading the relationship of independent and dependant variables from a graph , among other things.
Hi Marion,
I am all for active learning! Students tend to really get a lot out of this type of learning, and they really enjoy it as well.
Patricia
The course I teach is not the "nuts and bolts" the students desire, but the extraneous information that can/will effect them in thier careers. The strategies I have developed is based around group learning where students are required to do research, write a paper, prepare a class lesson, and present their learning to the class. Participative learning allows students to take responsibility for thier success. I have found students performed well, the information gathered was informative, and collaboration was re-enforced.
Discussion groups and classroom debates are also another strategy I encourage.
No matter what the subject matter is, it is vital on day one to explain how this course is going to help them achieve their goals and dreams.
Craig Couillard
By helping them to apply life experience and using some of the skills from my profession and showing the passion for the course I am teaching.
Make the students comfortable with you AND those around them with stress free small talk while taking the role and lots of humor!!
You're sooooo right. If the teacher doesn't show any enthusiasm for the subject, then how can we expect that of our students!!!
I also have heard the old refrain " I,m just not good in Math".... and I think maybe if we try to change that perception of themselves, they would have a better math experience.
