Hi Jay,
Welcome to the education profession. I can tell you are going to have a great career in teaching. As you gain more experience as an instructor you will start to see how you can teach more effectively and that will free up some time to use different delivery formats and you won't feel so constrained by time and load.
Gary
I would have to say that in my field theory can only take a student so far. He or She can only gain the true knowledge of what they are learning from a practical aspect. Thus I have tried my best to stay current with the practices of both the academic and the professional worlds. I feel that a balanced understanding of both is the only true education you can give someone. Therefore, I engross my self in constant professional projects in order to bring the real world applications back to my classroom.
Basically get an idea of the education level and background of your audience to help you develop what type of style would work best
So true! My students come each day with TONS of baggage. It is impossible to help them with all their problems, so being a mentor and showing them that we are there to help can make huge improvements in their mental presence in the classroom.
~Kari Cheevers
I am PASSIONATE about the human body. As a chiropractor and life-long science geek, I try to fire up my students in learning not about the human body... but THEIR body!
This is my first semester in formal education and I now I have alot to learn, but I'm very excited.
I want to get much more interactive and away from the lecture format, but my time constraints and content load are squeezing me.
My instructional style varies due to necessity. When I teach on ground I employ a style that incorporates as little lecture as possible, however, lately I have been teaching the majority of my classes online. Thus I have needed to modify my teaching methods as online classes are a bit harder to do hands on and activities. This has been my goal and mission for the last several semesters as I want to bringmore inventive teaching methods to my ONLINE teaching.
I would like to implement games and strategies to get the class more involved and interact.
Hi Angela,
This is a great way to help your students to "connect the dots" between class content and future application. This helps them to see the relevancy of the course and fits into their career development.
Gary
Hi Charlotte,
I commend you for your approach to the different courses. You are being reflective of the course content and student dynamics as you modify your delivery based on what the course is about and how it should be shared.
Gary
I agree with Louis, student evaluations are often very insightful tools. If read objectively, student evals can aid in the development of a more meaningful learning experience for future classes.
I often assess student learning styles during the first week of classes. If one class has a large group of auditory learners, I lecture more frequently. If another class has more tactile learners, I spend more time facilitating cooperative learning activities, etc.
Ultimately, I try to gauge each class and teach to their strengths. As educators we have to be willing to employ new methods of instruction; if something doesn't work we must be willing to adapt and try alternative methods until we find a style of instruction that works for the collective.
This is exactly what I try to get across in the course that I teach, the relevance of the material to their future jobs. Many of my students either never got the subject matter in previous courses, or have the mindset that they will "never use math in their jobs!" I require a paper at the end of the quarter, where they reflect on how they will use any of the mathematical topics covered that quarter in the day to day responsibilities of their chosen career field. It forces them to internalize the concepts we learn and see where they will apply them after graduation!
Knowing how to find the answers to your questions is an invaluable tool for our students. I agree that this is one of, if not the most important skill you can give your students. I am a new instructor hoping to find ways to incorporate research opportunities I have found in my career into the classroom.
I agree with you. Student surveys provide a lot of information, some of which the instructor isn't aware until reading them. By reading student surveys, I see where I can improve, and what I'm doing well and shouldn't change.
Many times I have taught the same student in different courses. S/he often says how different my teaching style is in different courses. As the subject matter changes, and as the students change, my instructional style changes.
Some classes are more structured and rigid, others are less formal and more relaxed. Yet, no matter what and who I am teaching, I ensure that I am professional, which results in my mentoring, managing, and role-modeling for my students.
Hi Nathalie,
You are giving your students not only good and accurate content but a career model to follow as well. This is important for students to see if they are going to become excited and enthused about the field like you.
Gary
I practice what I preach. I enjoy demonstrated to students what they are learning and also enjoy learning new techniques which I can then pass on to students. My enthusiasm really helps the class enjoy what they are learning.
I generally reread the chapter in question, look for new or updated content on the web, ideas on projects from other instructors and then I put it all in a Powerpoint presentation. I also like to do demonstration where I can then have the students do group and individual class activities.
That is a really excellent idea, Gary. I am starting from scratch with this class, but hopefully will be teaching it subsequent quarters and that type of feedback would be great. Thanks for the reply. Laura
Hi Laura,
Good question concerning getting student feedback. As you probably already know most schools use a formal end of the course evaluation form and student input. I have found these to be of little help since they are at the end of the course, the students are focused on completing their projects, passing the final, etc. so they don't give comprehensive feedback. They do make some good suggestions along the way but not a global evaluation.
To get more accurate feedback I give my students 3x5 cards to write short feedback responses after certain activities. They are anonymous so there is no pressure on the students. I just hand out the cards and ask them to give me feedback on the project, test, or activity for which I am seeking some guidance. Over the years I have had great feedback and the students have not attacked or vented so they have given professional advice. I always tell them it is for me so I can do a better job or include more activities, etc. the next time I teach the course.
Hope this method will be of value to you.
Gary
Do you recommend using formal written evaluations from students or are there more casual approaches to help you get feedback from students? I will begin teaching my first class next month and will want to get an idea of the efficacy of my teaching as soon as possible.
