Learning your students
It is important to learn how your students learn in order to teach. We are all students in life.
Brenda,
I do this at orientation as well. It's a fun exercise and most students are interested in what their particular style dominates. I record the results and use the information throughout the entire program if students need tutoring, remediation, or assistance with specific parts of curriculum.
Barry Westling
On our very first day with the students for their orientation, we do a learning style inventory. The students find out their results and then the instructors also get a break down of how each individual student learns. It has proven successful.
Hi Debbie:
I like your comments. That personal touch really doesn't take that much longer. I'd agree that not all want to get "warm and fuzzy", but it doesn't have to be really deep, just common courtesy, respect, interest, and `compassion.
Regards, Barry
It is a wonderful thing when our students trust us enough to open up to us. I do something similar with my students. I have found that when my students trust that I have their success at heart they will focus more and be in class on time. All it really takes is a teacher that is willing to give their students the opportunity to share some of their lives.
Hi Kenji:
Good. Getting to know your students helps you in undersatnding their special needs and the students get to relate to you on a 1-to-1 basis.
Regards, Barry
I interview them before externship class, help to understand and learn about their intentions
Hi Deborah:
Different instructors do it different ways, but anytime an instructor can spend quality time alone with a student, that's going to stregthen the relationship and assist the student in better performance. Discussion can be both surface personal (just to get to know one another), or related to the course study material. Of course, the enemy of this important strategy is time - where to find enough of it to be consistently available.
Regards, Barry
I think that learning about your students helps you to know what level they are at and what areas may be easy or difficult for them. It also makes the students feel that you are interested in them as an individual. It gives me a connection with them. I also may get some insight to their personal life and can understand what is going on when personal distractions affect the student. Usually, on the first day of class, I will discuss with the students a little bit about their background and talk about their interests, etc.
Hi Barbara:
Getting to know your your students to a greater depth is always helpful, whether it be by questionnaire or other means. Of course there are limits but I think hwnever we can personalize our relationships with students they're going to benefit from it.
Regards, Barry
I have a questionairre that i send out to students and it is optional to reply. It has questions about prior experience, current concerns, and support systems. It is a great format to open dialogue with new students. a recent example is that a recent student told me that he had just taken a new job that required a great deal of time and energy and he was concerned if he would have enough leftover for school. After some discussion we came to the decision that a part time status would work out better. If he had not shared that he may have struggled for weeks without intervention.
Hi Patrick:
Great! I think anytime an instructor takes (even a little bit) of time to get to know their students, its a positive thing. Many times that interaction makes the student feel more comfortable having a conversation and also conveys the idea the instructor cares. Of course the instructor benefits as well.
Regards, Barry
Getting to know the students during short pauses during the instructional period has helped me a lot in presenting the information to the students in a meaningful way.
Hi Joe:
Yes! Retention of key information demonstrates understanding of the material. That's the ultimate goal of just about any lesson.
Regards, Barry
By understanding how your students process information and store it
Hi Victoria:
As touched on in a previous post, the ability to be flexible and consider your student's needs contributes to better student outcomes.
Regards, Barry
Hi Andrew:
You're right about getting to know your students and how they learn. It will also help your relationship with them when you discuss related subjects - they'll feel more like you care abnbout them.
Regards, Barry
The number one rule of any presentation is Know your audience. When others have given up on a student I have learned that they were going through something... but had the desire and the potential. I offered them a helping hand as they were just overwhelmed. Sometimes knowing how to flex your teaching for your particular audience is critical.
I think that learning how your students learn will assist you in developing a more divers teaching style. The students various needs will command a teacher to think out of the box ocassionally without compromising the integrity of the curriculum.
Response to Jennie, I like your approach by using case studies to reach. I too do that. Being a crime scene investigator, I bring in actual case scenarios of cases I have handled and have students work through them to see how they would approach the crime scene, the techniques they would use and the evidence they may be looking for. It works great and provides another type of learning venue. Ultimately different styles should be employed throughout the course to be in touch with different learning styles. Great post, Sharon
