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Ask a question from your peers to help you in your professional work. Seek different points of view on a topic that interests you. Start a thought-provoking conversation about a hot, current topic. Encourage your peers to join you in the discussion, and feel free to facilitate the discussion. As a community of educators, all members of the Career Ed Lounge are empowered to act as a discussion facilitator to help us all learn from each other.

Students with Learning Disabilities

what is a good way to help students with Dysnomia.

The five "P's"

Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. How true this can be when applied to the classroom. It is not a perfect system. Educators are attempting to adjust to an ever-changing culture. Being able to quickly adapt while teaching has become essential. Having a solid plan, geared towards the success of your students and maintaining several back-up plans is part of our "bag of tricks". Essentially, we are building an airplane while we are flying it. Quite challenging! A good set of blueprints and proper tools make life so much easier as a teacher.

New to teaching a lecture class

I'm primarily a studio art class teacher. While there is some lecture involved, I've almost always taught the classes where we have tools and get our hands messy! The pure lecture course is definitely pushing me a bit in that it's gotten me out of my usual tactile comfort zone. That being said, my art history class consists of web design, graphic design, and fashion design majors. And it's small-- 9 students. I'm thinking I'm join to break with art history convention and have the students practice their studio skills as they relate to art history. And I live near some fantastic museums and art galleries, so field trips are definitely in order. I'm going to ask the members of the studio/gallery I'm a member of if they'd mind my bringing my students in to see some practicing artists in their working environment. Anybody else out there breaking or considering breaking with what is considered the norm for their subject?

Discussion and Assessment

Reinforcement and praise increase achievement! However use them when deserved and you are sincere.

Lesson plans

Lesson plans help keep you focused on how to prepare for each class session including the content and materials needed for the students.

Day One Went Well

My first day on this job went rather well. Having spent last year with between 25 and 30 junior high students per class, I'll confess to being a little stunned when all 8 (now 9) students were in front of me. I was a little nervous about my content for the day as I'm an emergency fill who wasn't handed day one material, but my students and I survived. A couple elf them have really warmed up, and they're showing initiative. That's great, as I just had my first supervisory review today! It went wonderfully. Can't say enough positive about having a great day one!

Meeting the class for the first time

To help your students know hoe to study for your course it woukld be helpful if you give them study guides and suggestions for taking notes.

planning and preparation

Instructors should plan ahead with the course content.

Instructional expertise

You need to know howto put togrther lessons that will inform your students about the career field in a way that will keep them interested and engaged in learning.

Acting your age

I am a DVM teaching in the vet tech program. I am younger than many of my students and look it! How to I establish a position of authority without being too harsh or abrasive and still gaining their respect?

Here are the lessons for your course...except for Day One

As I went charging into my new lecture class, History of Art: The Renaissance to the 20th Century, I was handed all the course materials. Syllabus, PowerPoint presentations, book, quizzes, worksheets...everything. Well, almost everything. As I was prepping, I looked at the course calendar, and it indicated that Day 1 was a review of Middle Ages and the Late Gothic Period. Looking for the slideshow so I could get acquainted with the lesson, I discovered that I had every class covered EXCEPT for the first day's lesson! I made a rather mad scramble to create a lesson that seemed to fit in with the other lessons. I used the book as a guide, and hopefully my presentation wasn't too much of a snooze fest. I initially felt rather hung out, but I rather liked what I put together much more than the other lessons I've done. They pre made lessons seem to leave out a lot and are full of information that seems suspect at times, often containing more opinion that fact. Looking back, I'm glad I had to come with Day 1 at the last minute. Anybody else get handed their course materials only to go in and start revising it?

I'm an "emergency fill". It's been interesting so far.

My prior teaching experience is in studio art. I've taught mostly at the college level, and last year I took a stab at public school teaching junior high students. I'm generally a popular instructor, and I'm always proud of my students and the results they get. This time around I'm getting handed my first lecture course. Literally. As an emergency hire, I was given all the previous slide presentations, quizzes, projects...everything. I thought that was going to be great, but it's turning out to be double the work as I adjust the course to my style. I've also been put off by of the worksheets and projects that seem to have abysmally low learning expectations. Weeding that stuff out has been tough, and is gutting the day-to-day class schedule. I'm also discovering that my lecture style needs a lot of work. I'm thinking maybe mini-projects based on the required reading might help me out a lot. Anybody else bring in-class projects into their classrooms? I'm lucky to have a really small class, so that my hope is that it aids in helping the success of the projects (and gives me some room to learn how to be a better lecturer!).

motivating students

Deliver your presentation with energy and enthusiasm. As a display of your motivation your passion motivates your students. Make the course personal, showing why you are interested in the material

Learning styles

You will always know when the light bulb of comprehension goes on in your students. Until that happens you will need to try various approaches to your teaching style

That positive first impression

Talking to your class about their goals and what they came to school for always ignites their brains to work harder to compete their goal.

Preparation

Preparation will always determine how the flow of your class will be throughout that term.

Instructing with enthusiasm

My students respond better with enthusiasm. They feel more apt to give me input.

Professionalism

Professionalism is key the key to success in the field. I have hired staff in my field and always place as high or a higher value on the professionalism of the candidate. Knowledge is important but if an employee cannot represent the office in a manner condusive to success then their knowledge is of no help to them or their business.

Technology and instruction

In the past couple of years our teaching/learnning platform has gone to IPADs. Therefore, every student has an ipad in front of them to take notes in PDF, record lectures, and/or take pictures and videos of various tray set ups or applications of skills. I have found that instead of listening to the lecture, video or demostration that is taking place, students would rather use their ipad for other things such as games. Although, walking through the class, students are very clever at "closing out" of the game and "swiping" back to the lecture before correction can be made by the instructor. What if any recommendations do you have for such an issue?

delivering course content

Any material we come across can be delivered in different ways. The different ways may be effective for some individuals and may not for others. When you get a feel for your classroom and environment there are many effective styles and ways to present the material for the course.