Do you find that powerpoints with photos are more helpful?

When putting together a test do you generally like to inlcude an essay?

For a 10 week session do you recomend doing all of your lesson planning in advance or week by week?

I am intrested in learning a little more about balancing staying professional as well as caring about the personal lives of students. For example when a student approaches you about a troubled home life. What is a good way to be their friend as well as to listen and stay professional

Hi Gary, How can an instructor improve their instructional style to really reach out to their students especially when the students are coming from different/diverse demographics. Some are slow-learner, some are fast-learner, others are focused on their goals while others are "just there" still trying to figure out what they really wanted in life.

I do believe minnie lectures are effective in keeping students focused on a particular content.

I like to give my students goals, because they know what I expect of them right from the begining

When the course content is being presented it seems like I always get 1 or 2 "chatter-boxes" who want to blup out their ideas while i'm lecturing. How do I handle that; they are adult learners, and they should have some respect...right?

Role Models are very important because when you are in or out of class you never know who is look at you. And some students do not have a role model in there life, that they can follow, and you may be the person that they are looking up to as there role model.

It is imperitave that instructors not only tell students how they should present themselves in order to be successful, but they should also role model it themselves. Often times we may suggest to a student that they might need to dress, speak or act a certain way, but we dont follow the same instructions ourselves which causes students to question why they should have to do it.

You must create a teaching style that is advantageous for your student's learning ability.You must try to reach all students on each of their levels of learning.

I agreed that it is important to see an instructor as a professional acting in a professional manner, therefore a role model

On the first day of class I presented myself to the class, by shaking everyone's hand and told them what type of experiance i had to teach the class and i wanted to know what was there education goals and how i was going to help them get them there.

Most learning institutions constantly strive to improve their methods, materials and instructor competencies. To do so, they must assess their current status in numerous categories, including grades, graduation rates and customer (student) satisfaction. I wholehearted agree that instructors and administrators require feedback to continue enhancing programs and curriculums. With regard to student assessment of instructors, it seems as though some instructors are so intent on pleasing their students that they tend to neglect their role as disciplinarian and gravitate to the pal role. Some seem to do so due to the fact that they want to be popular but for others, student satisfaction has an impact on their performance reviews and compensation. I am of the opinion that discipline and classroom control, balanced with competence and compassion, will, in most cases, elicit favorable student responses. In contrast, there are others who believe that they must be more lax and befriend their students in order to garner positive student survey responses. This may depend on the weight those responses are given by the specific institution in question. Any thoughts or opinions?

Through out my life, and trust me it's been a long life, I have met so many different cultures, life experiences and not to mention different languages..I took something from everyone and applied it to my life. If you told every student to describe an apple , you would have several discussions..over an apple ! But someone will learn something new no matter what the other person said. Even if one person does not like apples. He might end up trying one. Putting people together to discuss a part of a subject not only opens up their shyness but helps them retain a little more . Especially, test time !

I am curious as to the source of the statistics in this section. If this were a student presentation, I would ask for sources. Although research is ongoing, a number of ideas presented are contrary to research I have used, so I would be particularly interested to know the sources. Also, although I am white myself, I teach students from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, and I also have culturally diverse teaching colleagues. Every human image in this section has been of a white person.

it is always a challenge to teach a student that does not understand what you are atlking about or even what the words that were spoken mean. So i ahve over time tryed to find another student to mentor them as mush as possible, with taking care not to create a problem with the other students in the class, for they may think I as the instructor am letting them get away with talking during class. So there is a fine line that has to be followed and the students need to understand this.

I live in an area of the country where English is the second language for alot of students. I understand all about the "melting pot" we are and appreciate the fact we all want to be successful individuals. I have a hard time in accepting those who don't either want or can 't be bothered to learn English. We can and do make it attainable to receive an adult education, but first let's get them to speak the language well enough to have at least an even start point with the English-as-primary language student. Why offer pre-entrance placement tests in another language? Is it a total reformation of the country as a whole that needs to take place or just an educational one. Opinions welcomed and resolution anyone?

Do we allow tests to be read to students weithout the proper documentation upon verbal request? Do the federal Laws apply in the post-secondary schools?

keep your listening ears open during open discussions that will help other students get involved that typically do not.