Thanks for this information. We do field trips to different places retaining to their program. The students enjoy these outings and always remembers the fun time that they had.
STUDENTS LOOK FOR DIRECTION AND LEADERSHIP, UNCOMPRISED. WHEN STUDENTS EXPERIENCE THAT FROM THE FACULTY THEY RESPOND POSITIVELY. STUDENTS WANT TO FEEL SAFE AND THAT THEY ARE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S CONDUSIVE FOR LEARNING. WHEN THE INSTRUCTOR DEMONSTRATES SHE IS IN CONTROL OF HER CLASSROOM AND SHE'S OBSERVANT TO CERTAIN BEHAVIORS THAT ELICITS UNNECESSARY CHALLENGES AND SHE HANDLES THE SITUATION IMMEDIATELY, WITH A FIRM BUT FAIR DISPOSITION SHE SETS THE TONES FOR ANY DISCIPLINES NECESSARY IN ORDER TO PROPERLY MANAGE HER CLASSROOM.
WHEN STUDENTS COME TO THIS CLASS THEY KNOW THE CLIMATE IS RIGHT FOR LEARNING AND THEY UNDERSTAND THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES AS WELL AS REWARDS FOR GOOD PERFORMANCE ACADEMICALLY. WE SHOULD ALL WANT TO ACHEIVE EXCELLENCY AND STRIVE TO BE OUR VERY BEST. WE'RE COMPETING GLOBLLY, LET'S GIVE OUR STUDENTS OUR VERY BEST.
PATRICIA, do you have any favored techniques that you use to make students feel important? Is there a particular profile of student who is most difficult to reach? Do you keep a record of your interactions to assure that you have interacted with each student?
It is very important to make students feel important, students will perform better when the instructor can make all of his/her students think or feel they are a very important part of the class. Sometimes students starve for the instructors attention, a friendly smile or a kind word can and make a student work harder to try and succeed, students love to be praised, for their efforts.
Wendy, don't you run the risk of some students feeling very self conscious when called on? Not everyone is comfortable expressing themselves in public.
One way I make students feel important is during a lecture, ask the opinion of a student about the topic and get them involved with class discussion. Letting another person have the floor is always empowering...
John, how are you able to ask each student about how things are going? Is this a class exercise or are you able to get private time with each of them? How often do they open up to you?
I ask my students how their day or week is going. Has anything major happened in their lives since we met last? I have had some success in asking students to assist fellow students.
Hopefully the recognition is achievement based, Richard. Celebrating mediocrity can be detrimental.
I agree that making the students become involved in the classroom gives them a sense of accomplishment. I try to make them answer questions, first easy ones, then harder ones. I let them get comfortable with the easier questions then move onto the more detailed ones that will make them do some critical thinking before answering. This seems to work at every stage of their program but especially during the first three mods of their program, when students usually drop out.
We all want to feel important. So it should be our goal as educators to recognize all students in some way to make them feel important!
It is a good practice and habit to recognize a student's accomplishment and also to let them feel that they are an integral part of the whole class.
Knowing that teachers plays an important role in students attrition, should show a little more compassion, and not ONLY be concerned with the students academic performance, but also when a student grade begin to drop, they look sad, or uninterested in classroom activities, the teacher should ask to speak to the student privately and let them know that he or she is concern, and offer perhaps a resolution if possible. Students want to know that teachers can be caring, and not just an uncaring paid employee.
Sate statement, Chris, but not everyone does it. Any suggestions to help people incorporate this practice into their classroom?
True for co-workers as well.
Complimenting students efforts makes them feel important as well.
Audrey, what are your favorites? Do you change activities occasionally?
We have numerous activities throughout the year to make the students feel important and also appreciated. It gives all of us a chance to step out of our usual roles and laugh with each other. We all enjoy these little breaks.
Thanks for your observations,Dora. Being recognized as a leader can be a powerful tool - for good or evil.
