I do believe that knowing your audience is the most important thing. if you take the opportunity to know your students teaching contents will be much easier. knowing what they know and what they don't know identifying strength and weakness you will know what area to target.

I find having a rubric for assignments that the skills expected to be acquired are not very clear. I feel a rubric helps the students decide how to study or practice for the assessment. I give a version slightly different than the actual final evaluation rubric. I am wondering if this is helpful, or should the rubric be given just before the assessment? I do hands on training, but this course made me question my method, which I think if they know what to practice they will know how to practice more effectively.

I teach students how to cook and one of the classroom tools we like to implement is to make a food timeline sheet or production schedule. This allows my students to think and analyze the entire process of preparing their required food dishes in a timely manner. The goal is to work backwards by figuring out which dish takes the longest to cook. I will ask my class to do some additional research online and use technology to see different variations on these cooking skills can be applied to their daily lesson plan. The outcome for those who do the work is amazing ^_^

At times I will implement my students to get together in smaller groups when creating a menu to create. This reinforces the learning objectives as the group can see the bigger picture at the end. Not only that it creates great teamwork within the group, it reinforces their self esteem at the same time.

One of the tools that I used on a daily basis is my go to daily journal. Inside it has all the key points that I need to cover and often times I will add in additional information pending on each class demographics. Stronger classrooms I will discuss and allow them to group together to problem solve a problem, normal classrooms I stick to the basic as the material can be a bit overwhelming for them. Bottom line these tools keeps me on point with my lectures and demoes ^_^

One effective tool that I implement into my classroom is for my students prepare the day before a production schedule to help guide them through the cooking component on the following day. I find that during lecture day it is a great tool to interact with your student and create engagement with them. At the end of class I review what my production schedule should look like so they get a better understanding of what to expect the following day.

To be honest, I hate extra credit. In most cases it is used to replace or improve a score that was sub-par. The problem I have with this is that it isn't a true reflection of student knowledge if looking at the final average as a whole.

Syllabus generated by the supervising departments usually dictate content, at least where I instruct. I can supplement where desired but the "bones" are already present and required.

While I agree that it is important for instructors to have a personality that students can relate to, I think that adult learners need to adjust to different personality types. In the real world, we can not create excuses why we did or did not do something because of someone else's personality.

I teach the basic level courses at the college where I instruct. It is very difficult to come up with a guest speaker of a field trip when almost all of the different majors and programs are represented in my classroom. I am open to any suggestions you all may have. JM

time management also shows students how to use their time wisely

when instructors have support material, it helps and provides the students an opportunity to help broaden their knowledge

standards are there to help students achieve a goal

lesson plans help the students understand the final outcome of the day

Using objectives helps a instructor stay focused

Although PPT have a place in the classroom, we must always remember that they are a tool, not the teacher! PPTs can be educational and engaging, but many instructors do not have training in how to create one or how to teach from one. I certainly made my share of mistakes in the beginning. It is amazing what you can do with type of presentation, but like the lecture said, you have to be comfortable and know what is beneficial and what is not. Curriculum should be designed by a team of teachers so that the best of the best is obtained and not something that is too wordy, no pictures and minimal engagement. Pictures or inserting video clips keep the slides interesting. I think putting in scenarios is also effective, it takes the attention away from the PPT and creates conversation.

What to do when college does not permit colored handouts or handouts in color?

My lesson plan in the form of a course book and a schedule, are provided by our school. I feel this adds consistency to a course in a situation where more than one instructor teaches the same course in a given time frame. The lesson plan allows students to switch to another class and instructor in cases of emergency. Because the lesson plan is a guideline to what is taught, the instructor still has flexibility as to life lessons and personal experiences. In addition the instructor can add worksheets and other material to the lesson plan.

As a trade school instructor, I find that most of my students are self motivated, and follow the general 'idea' of soft skills. (they are typically older and have life experience) I am curious on dealing with students who do not have a positive mental attitude. What tactics work for you? I sometimes feel these students have been the squeaky wheel that get's the oil, but how to make them self aware, that this behavior does not translate into successful employment.

To trouble shoot what you are going to be teaching if your curriclum is already in place is to go through each video, poser point and or assignment briefly to make sure all is working properly. Also proof reading the tests to make sure what you are teaching co insides with what is on the tests. A couse check list helps.