Making a connection
It is critical to give your students specific feedback. I teach online and feel that it is essential to provide feedback that is unique to each individual student. Especially when they do not have the ability to see you in a traditional classroom setting, this piece becomes such an important way to communicate that you care.
I think that it not only helps them know you are guiding them through their learning process, but it also provides an opportunity for them to improve their skills before the end of the quarter. If we don't give them feedback, they don't always know what page they are on.
One of the most important observations I have made this term is that making a connection is essential tot he learning process. I have students who seemed to connect with me the second week, they found something in my personality and humor that made them more connected to me and thus my class. They generally are doing better, talk more in class, are not afriad to ask the questions, etc. I have made it a point to start going around to each student, making sure to talk to those who have less of a connection with myself to establish a routine, if not a rapore, and make sure that material is comprehended. Since I have started talking with everyone in class individually, I have noticed more and more connections, I tailor my language to that person and try to find a common topic to convey material for more understanding. I guess my question is, can you truly teach is you can't connect? And is it a reasonable goal to make a connect with every single student?
Hi Jim,
Interesting response on the name issue. One of the things I love about teaching is that it is never boring. Something new comes up all the time, like what a student prefers to be called based upon childhood experiences. Makes going to class each day fun.
Gary
Most of my students are female. Almost none of them want me to use their 'given'/'real' first name. When I asked one of them why that was, she said that that name is what Mom calls/called me when I did something wrong...several others agreed.
To make a connection, I use the student's name when giving feedback. In addition, if the student has shown me a nickname, I use that. I want that student to know that I see him/her as an individual in the class and that I am looking at his/her specific progress in the course. To reflect that, I will mention a specific element in the assignment on which the student has succeeded. I will also provide what I call "TIPS" and "GOALS."
