We have had first-quarter students "shadow" and sit in the classes of students about to graduate in order to instill the sense of belief in the program. It helps to show new students that what they are presently studying can get them to their ultimate goal of graduating.

This idea of empathy seems very important in the teaching setting. Students want to feel that their instructor understands their situation, or at least wants to. However, I'm not sure you can teach someone to feel empathy. Perhaps if a person is sympathetic by nature, they will bring this with them to the field of teaching? Any thoughts on this? Can empathy be taught?

One effective practice we like to use is encouraging our students to join the local chapter of professional chefs as a student culinarian. Attending the monthly meetings helps them to network. Thinking of themselves as already being professionally affiliated is a boost to self esteem and often gets them involved in professional activities, whether it be fundraising, chairity volunteerism, oreducational/competitive.This helps them focus their goals and enables them to see themselves as a member in the field already.

One motivation reinforcer I've found is consistency. Stay consistently positive with your class and sooner or later they will tag along. Ask people "How ya doin'" and the majority of them seem to want to complain or at least be non-committal. I have bad days like everyone else but never own up to it. When you put forth a positve mind-set people will come along with you - start dragging along and they will drag with you, and where's the fun in that??? I'm having a great day - how 'bout you?

In many occupations today teamwork is as highly sought after as individual skills. We have many teambuilding techniques (though I'm always looking for more)but my immediate question is how can we measure a students ability to work in and with a team and just how much of the grade should that represent? I'm of the opinion that a students level of participatiion and professionalism should count just as much if not more than their score on some multiple choice quiz. But how to accurately measure such a subjective trait, thats the question at hand.

I hate to resort to the negative to illustrate the positive, but my friend Dr. Bob is the antithesis of the empathetic, motivational instructor. He is a brilliant man and has accumulated vast amounts of knowledge and experience. However, a Dr. Bob class is an excercise in monotone, rote, hyperbolic rhetoric followed by standardized tests. Discussions are few, opinions are discouraged and class morale is non existant. His research has given him tenure so he will probably be quoting the same notes from his death bed. He is respected in his field but reviled by his underachieving students. Poor Dr. Bob. Poor Students.

Have you ever changed jobs and found yourself on "auto pilot" heading for your old job? Or taking until mid-January to write the correct year on your checks? As instructors I think we sometimes also flip the auto-pilot switch. We need only think back to some classes we had in past years to recognize the huge difference between an interesting, engaging, educational session -- and a 50-minute rote snooze fest. Our greatest assest as teachers is a fresh and everchanging perspective on our subject matter. You should have your syllabus and class notes cleaned at least as often as your teeth.

I play words association games and split the class in 2

I let my students know that I actually love what I do and that they need to continue even though it is hard.

I think it's important to note that it is not always easy for teachers to be at their best. I once taught an intensive 3-hour class four days a week and it was SO HARD to stay alert and motivated and to keep the students alert and motivated. It's important to be our best which means getting sleep, eating right, preparing our lessons fully and remembering that being a teacher is both not easy and extremely important.

It wasn't until this term, unfortunately, that I realized when I changed my ATTITUDE and thoughts of being infront of a class that I was more engaged with the student and what I was there to accomplish. Boy, does ATTITUDE play an important part of every aspect of life?!?! ATTITUDES REALLY ARE CATCHY! This term has been one of the most satisfying yet! I believe for myself and the students.

Having Guest Speakers relating to and pertaining to the course of study seem to break the day to day same 'ol same 'ol of the classroom setting. In my opinion, this allows the student to ask questions of the Speaker who relates directly to the subject matter. I teach Professional Development; we had a representative from a local Online Job Listing/Posting organization. The speaker was able to answer, and ease fears of the high school age student up to the nontraditional student, regarding Resume Writing, Interviewing, and the Job Search from a Professional perspective.

The first day of class is so vital in assessing the needs of the individual students, especially with a new enrollment. The first day of class and the first week of a new semester start is so important to me. In addition to giving the course overview, syllabi etc. I take the time to have each person introduce themselves, share their backgrounds and state their expectations. I share my expectations about the progression of class to hopefully establish some common ground with the people that I am just getting to know. Any suggestions or ideas? Yolanda Pope

I believe that when the teacher displays their motivation for instructing a class through their passion for and knowledge of the subject, the students will have an easier time motivating themselves to participate.

Because online instructors lack the audio/visual component of student/teacher interactions, I'd like to learn some best practices for identifying the warning signs of an online student becoming frustrated.

Often students are motivated to get a good grade, but fail to “own” the information. I encourage my students to “own” the information rather than just learn it to pass a test. If they review the material, find it relevant to their furture lives, discuss it, try to teach it to someone and if possible apply it; then they “own” it. In other words they have put it into long term memory. Then when they need to use it in the real world they have it. Or can easily go to the source for details. Student need to be encouraged to "own" knowledge and skills.

Many students are afraid to ask questions. They may have been humiliated or embarrassed in the past and are very shy about asking questions. I tell my students at the on-set of the class that I encourage questions. Most of the time other students have the same question and they are thankful that someone was brave enough to ask a question. When students do ask a question, I answer it in as positive a tone as I can and thank them for asking. When they complain that other instructors do not answer or answer in a negative manner, I encourage them to continue asking questions. However, I do point out to them that they must pay close attention to what is being discussed. If they are lost, I suggest that they ask for clarification.

What advice can you offer concerning fostering better social interactions between students in the classroom? With students ranging in age from 18 to 60 in some of our programs, we occasionally run into very volatile confrontations between class members who are fed up with the "high school mentality" of fellow students, the issue of classroom cliques, and the "he/she was talking about me" complaints. One situation escalated when three women ages 23 to 28 (all mothers!!) began screaming at each each other, the police were called, and the Director of Education threatened to withdraw all three students if they continued to disrupt the education environment. While this eliminated much of the overt hostile behavior, these students continued trying to ensnare others in the controversy whenever the instructor left the classroom. While the obvious solution in this situation was to follow through with the DOE's threat, we need to arm our instructors with strategies to prevent or at least minimize social discontent and interpersonal frustrations/friction among our students.

I also do attend most graduation celebrations, art shows, or any other college event where instructors and students communicate outside the classroom environment. It is so rewarding to talk an to observe successful examples (students) and to hear encouraging words from my students. That alone is a great motivator to do my best in every class I teach!

I introduce myself to new students by explaining my experience as a design professional and as an experienced instructor; stating my high expectations from my students' performance and presenting my "friendly" and approachable personality - either inside or outside the classroom situation. I gain respect from my students immediatelly after announcing these qualities and stating my high standards of evaluation.