That is a definte practice what you preach moment!!! Self reflection helps students respond to the material that they are presented with.
Also for the instructor, self reflection would benefit myself to grow as an educator.
By utilizing continuing education,sitting in on classrooms with experienced instructors. Emulating good techniques, while trying to recognize techniques that do not work.
Self critique, ask for constructive critism from peers on my individual presentations.
Hi Llana,
Welcome to teaching. I wish you much success as an educator. I know you are going to find it rewarding as you get to help shape the futures of your students. You have a great professional development plan in place so keep working on it.
If I can be of any help to you please feel free to call on me.
Gary
Hi Latoya,
Your experience in the field from which you acquired your expertise and practical knowledge. This is the type of content students like to hear because it get them excited about their own futures.
Gary
I pay close attention to comments made on class evaluations, which can be a good tool for the next class. However, for current classes, I engage the students in helping me to gather information from the class through questioning. This feedback helps me to see if the students truly understand the material presented.
Usually, when we have class reviews for tests, then I can find out from the class what topics and issues really held the students' interest. I can see what was not completely understood. I can then clarify for students and also explain the concepts from another perspective. This helps them understand and be successful when the final exam comes around.
A very beatiful insight. Definitely a good way of improving one's stly. Thank you.
As a new teacher I am just learning how to employ further teaching development, refine and enhance my instructional style simply by being in the classroom engaging my students in discussion. This method is becoming very short lived as I find the need to expand my knowledge of teaching by taking courses, such as this one, online and reading books and articles about teaching. I will begin auditing other teachers' classes to get other teaching perspectives.
So by experience outside do you mean my experience in my field, like moonlighting? Being that my job is technical that is what I would take as outside experience. Or are you saying through research?
I think it is very beneficial to learn software programs that can enhance your instruction. Software like Publisher, Illustrator, and Photoshop can create images that are interesting and memorable.
Experience is another great way to develop instructional style. This experience outside the classroom can be transfered to revelant information to the students. For example, teaching History of Interiors, if you have seen the Parthenon in Greece, it translates into knowledge about the history of Greece.
In trying to develop, refine and enhance my instructional style, i update my self with the current literature. I try to observe other instructors in their classroom settings, and am able to see how their various styles resonates with their students. I also evaluate my style in my classroom through the feedbacks i get from my students: eye contact, attention span, and questions and contributions assesing understanding of content.
You can introduce popular culture according to your class make up. With younger students, the use of powerpoints and the introduction of electronic communication will get their attention. With the older adult students, you would focus the attention and time to help them grab the concept in a more relaxed atmosphere.
Hi Janet,
Good comments about how you use current events in your classes. This strategy helps the students to see application and relevancy to what you are teaching. The more connection you can make between the classroom and the real world the easier the transition to employment is going to be for your students. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Hi Janet,
I think this is a great idea. Give it a try and see how the students respond. I think you are going to have success with their input as well as helping them with their writing skills.
Gary
I also try to bring current topics from the newspaper, yahoo.com, television news, or crimes in our area that were reported into the subject matter. Learning about how something in the class truly ties into current events is great for the students and gives them truly tangible and current examples for their education. I also think it makes them think of their roles - in class and in the world at large. It keeps them engaged in class, helps them form opinions, and teaches them about themselves and their capacity to learn.
Many of my students are parents, employees, and in disfunctional family settings. They come to class as a way to escape their current situations - both in the temporary moment and for the long term result they hope education will give them. I have to make learning current and future driven for them. I understand completely what you mean by "fast-paced" and "rushed" as that is how most of my students appear when they enter my class or right before they sigh when they realize we are done for the day.
A daily reflection versus a per class reflection? That is very interesting. I think that maybe having them journal this experience would be a good way for me to learn more about their ability to grasp the material AND would be another grade that I can give them for working outside of class. Each of my students need help in their writing skills.
Thanks for the suggestions!
I've found that the students do answer very honestly, so surveys work very well for me.
I think reflection is powerful tool to improve your instructional style. When I was a student teacher we were required to keep journals. It seemed like a pain when I first started. However, refelcting upon my teaching each day encouraged me to really think about my instructional style.
Hi Michele,
Congratulations on your success as an instructor. Sounds like your teaching career is off to a good start. You are doing a lot of very positive things to enable you to grow in both content and expertise.
Have specific dates and a format for accepting homework. Look at the homework to make sure you are having them do activities that are relevant and have application and then develop a rubric for grading it. The rubric will enable to to zero in on the key areas that you are wanting the students to develop skills in. This should speed up your evaluation process as well as show the students exactly where they need to expand their skills.
Gary
