Do you ask them to report on what they encounter when they volunteer? A technique that I use is to request that students all keep journals, whether volunteering or on externship, and then I review the journals with them. This allows me to get documented feedback on what they are encountering out in the field.
I encourage students to volunteer in there chosen career path. By volunteering their giving back and able to get hands on before actulally being in the field. This helps my technique of instructing by staying up to date with the latest materials and teqchniques being used.
When I first started teaching, I would set up a video camera in a back corner of the classroom. At the end of the day I would then review the video and critique myself. I would make notes like,"Need to make sure all students feel included in the class discussion", "Clarify and expound on learning objective in section 2 of lecture", etc. Then, I would have one of my supervisors also review the tape and make notes. I would then compare my notes to his/hers and, if he/she noted something I hadn't listed, I would review the tape again and self-reflect on ways I could improve in the idetified areas.
Hi Lori,
Good plan for professional development. You can gain so much from watching others teach. While observing them you may want to make a list of questions to ask them later to make sure your observations are accurate so you can use some of their strategies in your instructional delivery.
Gary
I regularly observe other instructors and try to take the best that I see and encorporate that into my own style. I also read articles relating to my field (and feedback from educators) and attend conferences where teaching forums and competitions are available.
I think one of the biggest areas where I have room to improve is to be more aware of students learning sytles and bring in more mixes of resources/demonstrations/activities/short lectures, etc.
Currently I am teaching a class on Labor and Management Relations. I have found this class to be my most difficult course to teach yet because of text (chosen by the school) is very "dry" and non-friendly to read. I have began searching the web for supportive articles along with videos to assist with making the course a little more exciting and educational. It's proving to be a challenge - but I think if I can find enough supportive activities then I should be in good shape with providing a great means of getting the topics across to the students to learn.
there is always new information in the field and pathologies that we have not been exposed to, and sometimes they're not aware that natural health and massage modalities are even an option for some pathologies. I explain to them that we cant know everything but there are a lot of resources that can be accessed on the internet by professional magazines and studies done by research groups. and I encourage to look up how massage or an allied modality could be of help. Sometime it is important to not teach them what to think but how to think.
I like student feedback. I would have them take a midterm survey. I will use their feedback to modify my instructional style to best suit that group of students.
I agree completely. Only after I know all of my students' first names do I begin to become comfortable in my classroom. I immediately feel the positive feedback.
Bringing in articles from professional magazines which help to reinforce information given in the classroom and showing how it applies in the workplace.
I feel you should know your students names within the first 2 days. Two weeks would be adequate, if they only met once a week. Otherwise, it may be quite difficult to develop the respect you deserve as an instructor having to ask a students name everytime they ask a question for 2 weeks.
I try to gather as much information as I can about a students background. This helps me to understand their level of education and with the right questions, how they actually learn. I tailor fit my instructional style to the students I am teaching.
I do sort of the same activity with my writing assignments for Basic Composition. In suggesting topics, I advise the students to write about something they are truly interested in or that involves them personally. I do this for all types of essays: descriptive, comparison/contrast, process analysis, etc. Anything that promotes greater interest in the subject also promotes better writing.
I agree with you Janet. Incorporating current events along with personal work experiences has proven to be a valid tool for me to use to keep the students engaged. Many of them tell me that they remember certain aspects of the content more clearly when referenced with a real-world example. It allows them to take the information they have learned and be able to see it in a realistic application.
I have recently read Sean Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People", awsome book!! Great material on being effective and building strong relationships.
My focus has been on designing each lesson to adequately cover all the learning styles of all students. since I know my subject and am organized, delivery my biggest concern.
I try to incorporate all teaching styles to reach all of my students learning learning styles. This means I try to incorporate all of Garnder's Multiple Intelligences into my curriculum.
I am currently working PRN status at 2 local area hospitals, so the information that I can teach my surgcial technologists students is very current and up-to-date so that I know that they are receiving the best possible information.
We recently started to look at DISC assessments to focus on different learning styles and personality types of students. This allows us as instructors not to label students but to recognize different styles.
I can do just what the learning module suggested which is set up goals with time lines and take some classes to develop my instructional style.
