keeping students interested
It is often necessary to speak of actual field experiences, hypothetic or actual. particularly problamatic situations, cause and effect insidents that may have taken place. and what is or could be a solution to these situations. make it a game and work it out with the class in groups. see who has the best solutions and why?.
Hi Annarose:
I believe student are more focused and attententive when they feel whatever the topic is, there is some personal, tangible benefit to them that will be the result. Often, keeping things relevant to the job can do it. But there may be lateral topics that are helpful and convey essentially the same message. If that keeps the class interest, that's the route I'd take.
Regards, Barry
I agree. To be highly effective keep the subject matter relevant and real-time applicable.
Hi Tonya:
And that visualization is a strong and powerful motivator. When students hear and see themselves as potentially succesful workers, they're going to be jazzed and want to make that a reality. It's a simple activity that has a lot of influence on student performance.
Regards, Barry
Field trips, guest speakers and graduates coming in to speak are also great ways to keep the studnet interested and visualizing themselves in the world of work.
Hi Tamara:
Game time is a popular reengaging activity. Anything to redirect the students interest for a moment to a few minutes, or longer. In some cases, the class just has to move on to another wholly different activity to get them focused. Maybe a lab or discusion, something like that.
Regards, Barry
Intevention with students when class time has become extremly loaded with course information is a wonderful time to introduce "game time" to redirect thier intrest.
I agree that it is essential to talk about actual field experience. I have found that the things I tell my students about the experiences I have had in the field helps them to remember important information.
Hi Karen:
Good. Whenever you can personalize the insdtruction student's are going to do better. Even commenting on the work so and so did a couple of weeks ago builds trust in the teacher and encourages better student performance.
Regards, Barry
I teach in a culinary school and even with doing food demos some students still are not motivated to get involved. I find that sometimes calling the student by name, not embarassing them but just trying to pull them out by having them do somethig gets them excited.
Hi Joseph:
When I see something being demonstrated I always feel a slight sense of anticipation about what is about to happen I imagine many students have that same experience. Anticipation is a inspirational trait that can't always be generated on command. So I agree this is great way to supplement your instruction.
Regards, Barry
I also agree. Alot of times the students get bored from the classroom setting so if you can set up a mock experience for the students to do it helps them get motivated again.
Hi Ronald:
Many of us can relate to your situation. There seems there is never enough time to proved seamless instructional sessions followed by organized assessments. I agree there are better and not so great times to perform testing. Optimiziing the time as best we can can at least attempt to provide structured learning modules.
Regards, Barry
I have also found that other problems that are out of my control, such as class scheduling and holidays, can really through a crimp into training. I am talking about scheduling a test on Monday instead of Friday. Mondays test are usually lower scoring. Breaking up training with a three or four day weekend condemns you to a lost class period of review. The adjustment is sometimes difficult when the number of days are dictated as a module of a larger course of study.
Hi Caroline:
Great! I think anytime a teacher can squeeze in a field trip or outside of class experience, the students are going to remember that experience in more detail than if the same information was simply presented to them. Real world also tends to motivate and keep students engaged more so than other learning strategies.
Regards, Barry
Hello,
I agree that field experience is an important learning strategy that will definately keep students interested. Being in the field connects the subject matter and the school to the real world world experience. Therefore, students see the relevance of what they are studying and put more effort and interest into their work.
Hi Joslynn:
Field experience is an invaluable form of instruction students remember and use many times all of their careers. The more the better.
Regards, Barry
Hi Susan:
Yes, and the students will benefit much more than if someone was just going to lecture to them. The more the student gets involved, the better retention of information, and therefore, better student outcomes.
Regards, Barry
In the class that I get to spend the most time in. Actual field experiences are the most asked for ways of teaching. They are just about to go out on externship and in this class they are working in a mock restaurant setting. They have so many questions on what is going to happen to them when they get out there, so I spend a lot of time teaching hoe to work on a line, how to cut meat ect.It make the time go by so much faster and keeps the student interested.
great idea...put a case study on the board and then break into groups to discuss different possible solutions.
