i have been teaching now for three years and i find that being a controller buddy style instructor gives off mixed signals to the students and caused more headaches down the line. I have changed my style to less of a controller and buddy, and it has deffinately been a change for the better. i now have more class participation, and less disruptions in the class.
Rebecca, well done and students respect organization and appreciate knowing the lesson plans in as much detail as possible. That said, there is nothing wrong with the occasional change in plans to keep students on their toes. Let students know day one of class that the weekly plans will comprise 90% of the lesson plans but you reserve the right to make some changes as you feel they are needed to keep the learning fresh and exciting for the students.
James Jackson
Maria, there is nothing wrong with strict as long as you have their respect. Fair but firm can be a very good thing. I know some instructors that get very high marks on their student evaluations but then students make negative comments behind their backs. Even worse are those instructors that get high scores on student feedback forms but their students do not learn what is needed for a following course. I believe a part of an instructor evaluation should come from other instructors that teach subsequent courses.
James Jackson
Jeff, the perfect situation rarely exists. There will be times when you need to make small adjustments to move the classroom forward. The focus overall on the guide is like another adaptation of an 80/20 rule. The guide will get you buy 80% of the time and gain the respect of your students but there is also that 20% when you need to use other tactics to move the classroom in a direction that gets you back on your original track. This is not to say that the guide cannot be 100% effective as it can certainly accomplish that goal but there is nothing wrong with making necessary adjustments as you gain more and more experience and learn to move in and out of the different modes to get the outcomes you desire.
James Jackson
Gary, thanks for sharing. Please come back and share how the changes you make impact your classes and the learning outcomes of your classes.
James Jackson
Laura, it is obvious by your comments you are an outstanding instructor. Lifelong learning is a critical trait that all great instructors share.
James Jackson
I am new to the teaching world, so my classroom management is ever changing. I believe that I have improved my classroom mangement by having mentors within the college I work at, training,and personal development. I am always looking for ways to enhance my management style by continuing my personal development.
This was very valuable for me. After over 20 years of teaching this made me aware that I have become too much of a "Buddy" and need to get back to being more of a "Guide". Thank you for this insight.
During the first year of my teaching career I tried to be the guide but was often unsure how it was received by my students and ended up slipping into the controller role. Now that I've become more confident in my abilities in the classroom, the guide role is easier to maintain while moving in and out of the buddy and controller role as needed. it's never a perfect process though.
It had been pointed out to me that I was "too dry". So I worked on being more enthusiastic in my delivery and bringing my presentation more to the level of understanding of the students. Students now say they see sparkles in my eyes when I teach, yet on the other hand, they say I am strict. Nonetheless, with this course I can see I still have much to improve on. I appreciate the instruction on handling bus riders as I have several in the class.
To progress my class management techniques, I have produced a course outline that is disseminated weekly. The weekly outline includes lectures, assignments, discussions, and due dates for that week. The outline encourages my students to stay focus and keep on task.
I believe my classroom is well managed so any improvement that I will make will probably be determined by the next class.
Jim, awesome exercise. Getting students involved in establishing the rules of,the classroom make for easier methods of classroom control. You now have set the stage to remind them of "our class rules" versus just your class rules. Thanks for sharing.
James Jackson
On the first day of class I distribute a listing of my expectations and then discuss them. I then ask the students to add to my list so they feel as though they are contributing to the effort and have some say/control over classroom management.
Doris, managing a classroom of 2 can be difficult in that there are not really enough students to engage in deep discussions. Of course the students may benefit as they get much more of your direct attention. I prefer a classroom with a minimum of 8 students. This size tends to allow for good discussions and allows me time to get around to each student and provide them with very personalized attention. This is not to say a classroom of 15 to 20 is not manageable but the larger size does require some different techniques and less time that can be dedicated to each student.
James Jackson
I use my experience to manage the classroom. I have been in the medical field for 37 years so know what they will need to be successful. I also establish the rules and expectations on the first day of class. I let them know that I will respect them and they will respect me. I let them know that they are all important and I want them to succeed. I ask they what their short term and long term goals are and how they plan to accomplish them. I use a bit of the guide, buddy, and controller in most of my classes. It doesn't take me long to figure out which classes will need more of one and less of the others. I teach small classes which enable me to have more flexability in teaching the classes.
Does anyone else have suggestions for managing small classes (ie. 2-10 students)?
I did like the course and was able to make adjustments to my teaching and was successful. So thank you for offering this course.
D.J. Overbey
I totally agree as i teach longer i realize that a fair but disiplined aproach to handling students works alot better than the rough approach
I am so similar to you! But my challenge is that every three weeks I have a new class, then they move on to another class. Three weeks is not very long and over the past 8 years I have experimented with tough on the front because I have such a short time with them. Tough in the beginning is more like the first 3 days! Organization is key to the success of teaching a class, especially when it passes so quickly. I find I need to "keep the reigns in" week 1, let up a bit in week 2 so in the third week I monitor and let them initiate their actions rather than lead them.
Mahnaz, active learning is a proven method of transferring knowledge from instructor to student. Through class activities and discussions you trigger other parts of your student's brain that when properly utilized will allow them better retention of the materials and a deeper understanding of the materials.
James Jackson
I have incorporated class activities and group disscussions, so the students can share their personal experiences. I believe that adult learners draw a great deal from their life experiences and learn by example. During group disscussions, the class environment is more student centered rather than teacher centered. My students respond very well to these activities, and I beleive this method fosters learning.
Nicole, the best teacher is experience. Teachers can be the worst students but you will become a better instructor as you work towards being a better student and life long learner.
James Jackson
