Your Instructional Style
What techniques can you employ to further develop, refine and enhance your instructional style?
David,
I think this is a great way to expand your understanding of how to more effectively deliver instruction. By seeing teaching from both sides you are able to develop your own style of instruction.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Often times I sit in with several other teachers and help with their classes. Other times I attend class as a student and try to see how that teacher looks to the student. I then get to see two sides of the class. It's been a helpful technique for me
Elizabeth,
You are going to like the information you get in the ACTE magazine "Techniques". I had the honor to be elected President of ACTE a few years back so I am a big supporter of the association and the work it does in helping secondary and post-secondary instructor grow professionally.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I hope to join the Association for Career and Technical Education. I look forward to reading the monthly journal and hope to advance my teaching skills and methodologies with this tool. I will also listen to feedback from my students regarding my instructional style and improve based on their feedback.
Melvina,
Good professional development plan to follow.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I will expand my skills and take online courses to further my instructional skills
Virgil,
This is a great set of resources and support to have. I am sure as a result of this support your students are better served and your faculty better prepared to provide customized instruction.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
In our institution, they put an emphasis on learning styles and instructional sytyles. They are very supportive of the development of the instructional styles of thier faculty. We have online courses and faculty meetings and inservices to help refine and enhance our styles.
Bonita,
Great to hear and I wish you continued success as you help to shape the future careers of your students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree with Michael, I feel lucky that my institution provides us this opportunity to develop and learn ways to become a better professionals. I can remain up to date and it's free.
I have the best of both worlds, I have the opportunity to work in the clinical setting
(hands on) and in the classroom setting. I have picked up some useful information and learned different ways to refine my instructional style in both settings.
I have a great support system at the institution to where I teach. by reaching out to others across the instructor board, it gives me more ideas on approaches with the students to get them to better understand the text, presentations,etc.
Cathy,
The more variety the better. You are right on with your comments about math being scary for most students. The more you can help them see the value and application of what you are teaching the better connected they will be to the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Steven,
You are on the right track with your approach. By providing dynamic presentations that help students to see the value of what is being shared and how it impacts their future success you will increase moral and show relevance to the students. They need to see that they are getting an ROI from their effort as well as their tuition. When this is done you will have established a learning community for our students that will pay off for them.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
While lecture is important, I try to mix things up by introducing puzzles, games and other activities to keep the students engaged. Math is scary to many students so I try to show them that coming to class and participating can be fun.
I am co teaching a class with a veteran instructor where she is a great motivator. The challenge is that, I'm encountering the morale of the students to be low. Two factors that I noticed, is that they are retaking the class because they failed, or have their minds set to graduate. I'm trying to encourage the students with the right tools using realistic scenarios and facts occurring in the job world. I've been working for a corporation for 15 years where things had to be done on your own. My office gave VERY little encouragement that lowered my morale. I want to do the opposite for my students. I plan to apply my technical skills as well as the 3 M's mentioned in this module. Is that a good direction to go? My school has been providing us with courses free of charge to increase our personal growth as instructors. What a reassuring breath of fresh air this is.
Abel,
These instructors are a challenge to work with since it is obvious they have no interest in either their students or their field. They need to get into another line of work or reset their attitudes.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I completly agree wi9th this statement. Some instructors only go to work to collect a paycheck and it is hard to motivate them. It is very hard to measure achievement.
Laura,
This is what instructional planning should be about. You are adapting to both the student population and the course content in order to get them engaged in the learning process.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
