Del Acosta

I prepare a "to do" list almost everyday. This is the only way that I can manage the various activities of the workday. What the course did not discuss is the frequent changes that must be made to a daily list when a client or student request considerable time that was not anticipated.

Often students that English is their second language will state that they do not want to participate in class because “…my English is not good”, which frequently is not true. I tell the students that they are lucky to be able to speak more than one language and encourage them to participate. I have foreign born students sharing information about their native country, including government structure and customs. This has always worked well for me. Any other ideas that have been sucessful?

Motivating students is one of the most challenging and most rewarding aspects of teaching. There is always at a student in a class that initially is not interested in school or the particular subject matter. I have found that talking with the student about individual interest and identifying aspects of the class that reflects this interest is effective in changing the student’s attitude. What other methods of student motivation are instructors using?