How to be effective
Model, Motivate and Manage are a great way to ensure your class is engaged and you are delivering the best knowledge possible.
Model- Be a role model. If you come prepared and you knowledgeable in your field the students will look up to you.
Motivation- is something that is important because if you do not motivate your students they may not get the most of the class. Ways to motivate them would be engaging in fun activities and keep everyone involved.
Manage- manage your class, time, and the knowledge you will deliver.
Branden,
As a new instructor as well i agree with your point. When I was enrolled in my college program my instructors would bring in many situations about where the material being discussed would help us. Where it would be to get a return from our investment or with other problems that would arrise in the feild that we were heading into.
Chris,
As a new Instructor I agree with you one hundred percent on the fact that students want a return on their investment after training is completed. I am a firm believer in self motivation due to the fact it has worked for me and put me in the position I am in today. However, I know that some people, not just students need a little help in that area. I would like to present different success stories and key motivation builders to my students as needed not just to get them through my course, but to help them see the potential success as well as accomplishments that they have made so far.
Paul,
I think the fact that you relate the class to marketability in workforce is great. In a perfect world, learning is its own reward but most people want a return on their investment. I have had some luck with getting to know my students and their interests. I often find that in most cases I am able to find some link between the subject matter and something that a student is interested in or passionate about. If you can find that link, you can usually heighten the student’s interest and personal involvement.
Motivating those students who are only taking the class because it is required can be quite challenging. I try to present some insight into the career benefits so they can understand that learning the material is not simply required, but also highly desirable in the job market.
I agree with you. Students actively involved in learning are easier to work with and more fun to teach. I love to see the spark of interest in their eyes because then you know they are understanding and applying the information. A challenge is see as a new instructor would be those students who try not to get involved but I usually work well with these students and become their motivator and cheerleader.
Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for making this point. If instructors understand this concept they will see how important preparation is in helping them to have a much more enjoyable class session.
Gary
These also create the wonderful side-effect of making teaching more enjoyable for the instructor. When students are engaged and learning, instructors aren't stuck managing as many behavior problems and their job gets easier and a lot more fun!
