Hi Donald,
You are right, it is a big difference knowing how to do something and knowing how to teach it. Own up to your mistakes and move forward.
Patricia
Hi Peter,
I know, join the crowd. Keep plucking!
Patricia
Hi Gary,
Nicely addressed! You are on point, as long as you learn from your mistakes that is the most important lesson.
Patricia
One way would be to change professions, i.e., become an Ice Road trucker...
Other than than, recognize that everyone makes a mistake now and then. You are human, as are your students. The key is to learn from a mistake and try not to repeat it. There are enough different mistakes that you can do a new one each time. This is an important concept as well for your students to pick up on, along with taking responsibility for the mistake and not "shifting the blame" or avoiding it! When instructing the non-traditional (older) students, it is necessary for them to understand that they can still succeed despite occasional "failures" as long as those "failures" are actually learning experiences that they can gain positive input from. As instructors, we are also in this "older" category and subject to those same guidelines.
Hi Patricia,
only about 5,500~6,000 or so in the last 9 yrs :)
Being overly prepared for your lesson is certainly the best way to avoid common mistakes. Talk with an instructor who has taught the course before and brain storm with him/her. Knowing how to do something is just the first step, knowing how to teach what you know is another story. I agree that if you make a mistake let the students know it was wrong. You can always say that this is not the way it is done and show them the correct way.
Hi Peter,
Gen Y is a different breed. We have to continue to work our hardest with this generation. Remember if you make an impact on one student's life, then teaching is worth every minute. I am sure you have impacted a million!
Patricia
Hello Sabrina,
Being prepared makes everything easier, and your day does go by a lot smoother.
Patricia
Many times an instructor assumes the student is following the lecture and understands all the terms he or she is using. If the student is timid he may not ask for clarification of the term or phrase thinking it would make them look less than smart. We need to use the term and explain it and use a more common name for it if there is one. During a test is not the time to find out a student doesn't know what a tps is.
If you use lots of acronims prepare a list with terms and descriptions really helps the student understand. Then have the student use the term or acronym often.
In my experience, the greatest mistake all instructors make is assuming students actually paid attention in previous courses and learned more than the minimum required to pass course Although many still do learn as much as posible the numbers are lower
Previously, less than 10% of students showed this trait but in the last few years it has escalated and has become more noticable, particularly with Gen Y (why?)students.
Be as prepared as you can. Always there will be issues to besolved in each class setion. With being prepared I have more time to face the day to day.
Hi Abundio,
You have made some excellent points! It appears you have yourself together as an instructor. I bet your students appreciate how prepared, organized, and professional you are.
Patricia
Hi Servet,
What a great connection to establish by knowing your student names. It means a lot to students when you know their names, an automatic rapport is in the making.
Patricia
Common mistakes that instructors?
1/Talking personal issue to the class? This taking time away from class time.
2/Telling the class about NO will ever get a higher grades than specific numbers. This make the student feel have to wrk harder to proved themselves to that kind of instructor.
3/Associates with them outside the class room, or private life outside the school. This can oversee or show as Favoritism towards the particular students.
4/lack of organization or preparation before class. Instructor's that not organized before class also taking time away from a class by not being prepare. Student oftenly lost their patients waiting for instructors to be ready, this caused them of making some noise and start doing non related stuff for the class. Instructor need to be pro-active and organized.
Hi Doreen,
Great ways to avoid common instructor mistakes. I've used these tactics as well, and they really do work and make a major difference.
Patricia
Knowing your students names creates connection thus keep the students engage in the learning process
If I make a mistake I always inject humor into the conversation. In doing so, it shows the students that humility is a positive character trait. In order to minimize mistakes I have always made personal notes on the matter in order to eliminate them in the future.
Ways that I have found to avoid commonly made instructor mistakes include (a) being highly organized; (b) maintaining a clean and neat work environment; (c) keeping notes that highlight past mistakes and ways of avoiding those mistakes; and (d) earning the respect of my students by being professional.
Hi David,
Nicely said! I went back to my student days the moment I was reading your response. As instructors, we must learn how to be empathetic and sympathetic.
Patricia
Hi Gary,
You've listed some great ways to avoid instructors' mistakes. Do you actually do these things?
Patricia
