i have an approachable but firm teaching style where i communicate to the student that i am fascilitating because i want to be part of their educational growth and thank them for the opportunity.
I agree. It is very interesting to me as an instructor when some students are quite in class until competition starts and then they really come out of their shells. Also, a good team building exercise.
Hi Rita,
You have a good idea on how to implement change in your classes. Take one topic as you mentioned and try it out. With the new approach, project or assignment there will be little risk because it is just one area of the course. Then try another and another and before long you will have introduced all kinds of new strategies into your course while maintaining the activities that are effective and work for you.
Gary
Hi Dr. Rodenbaugh,
I like this approach and agree with the benefits that come from it. I think the students are more engaged and focused with this method as well as coming together to work on mutual projects more respect for each other.
Gary
Hi Sue,
Good way to get the students involved. I use games in my classes all the time with the same results you mentioned. Students like competition plus it provides some diversion in the regular flow of class.
Gary
Hi Roger,
The "been there and done that" is so important in establishing the fact that the students are going to have an expert from their field share his knowledge with them. It is a building process from there as they learn some of what you know.
Gary
Hi Sheila,
For me as well. I just pushed another great bunch of students out of the nest last week and I am feeling very much like the mama bird this week. Get a new bunch in two weeks so the nest will be full again.
Gary
Hi Natalie,
I like the way your are making your class as real as you can. Your students are soon going to be in their medical careers so the more knowledge they have on how to handle different stressful situations the less traumatic the transition from school to employment is going to be.
Gary
Hi Quynh,
Good points about the reasons for getting to know students as they start a class with you. I to teach a required course so the students are not there by choice but I have found that by developing a relationship with them they start to focus on the content and they develop an appreciation for the content I am sharing with them.
Gary
Working with a great group of experienced instructors makes it easy to take "best practices" that fit the course you are teaching and you personal styles, and utilize it in my courses.
Another option is training courses like these that help expand my horizons and find new inovative ways to improve.
One of my personal favorites is reviewing a video of my own presentations. I don't particularly like it when it is happening but I have always found areas that I need to improve in.
I've been teaching for one year now. I use power points often and advise the students to take notes or highlight the main points out of the chapter that I am discussing. I make sure to not read from the power point and give my own personal experience about whatever I am teaching.
As an instructor, I tend to rely on what I know will work rather than develop new ways of delivering course material. Sometimes I'm not as creative as I could be, nor am I comfortable taking risks if it means departing from my "tried and true" methods. I would like to be able to improve those things--develop new and different approaches to what I teach.
Perhaps the best way to do this is slowly, not by trying to change things all at once. I could take a concept I teach and develop a different plan or approach and try it.
I have found that it works really well to lecture on a topic then go to lab and I show the students a skill. I then have them perform the skill with my help. Then they perform the skill without my help. Then they teach me to perform the skill. I then ask them questions on information covered in the lecture. This seems to take the lecture to practical application in the lab and at a slow pace learn the skill and be able to apply it to the lecture.
I tend to use various materials to benefit student learning. Lots of time, I'll use clay to demonstrate anatomical structures. Sometimes we use pipecleaners or crayons. The activities done with art supplies tend to stick longer in the students' minds.
I have tried using powerpoints, handouts, and puzzle games. These sources don't seem to work well with the students. Even using candy as a reward doesn't entice students to learn on their own.
A Dr. from Sweden shared this info with me about 10 years ago, but I had put it "on the back burner". Thanks for bringing it back to my "front burner".
Love it. So do I. I use "pop-rock candy" as I begin the class for teaching the senses in Anatomy and Physiology. They can touch them, see them, smell them, hear them, and taste them.
I believe "when you are laughing, you are learning", so I put effort into keeping the classroom joyful while learning. It is my understanding that new information learned in a stressful invironment is more difficult to access/"pull-up" than information that was learned in a joyful, caring environment. Incorporating Fish philosophy of chosing your attitude, playing, being there and making their day helps in my classroom. I also encourage students to adopt that philosophy. This seems to help make the class a team in supporting each other and it also helps keep the attitude more pleasant MOST of the time.
We have created power points that have a question listed and then the next slide has the correct answer. We divide our students into two groups and then they take turns answering questions, keeping score and then the winning team gets a reward (candy). Friendly competetion encourages the students to excel. We also switch up the teams during the module so the teams are never the same.
I am new to teaching but I love it. I find that when i use role playing and demonstrations my students seem to understand it better.
Develop a professional development plan to continually learn new teaching techniques. Keep students engaged through interactive participation, such as game playing activities.
