Keeping students interested
I feel like i am always to tryingto keep my students interested in the topics i am teaching so they will stay eager to learn
Veronica,
Wow this is a new one to me. I teach from 4 until 10 pm so I can relate some to your situation but I have 35 students in the class so it is much easier to keep them engaged with small group, discussion, role playing and case studies. With one student I would think that you would want to have discussion time and then give this student a case study to work on so in essence the learning would be self directed but under your guidance. Then the student could go through the steps that he or she used to complete the case study. I would create case studies that hit upon all of the course objectives so that the student would have to do reading and studying in the areas of the objectives so you know that the student is receiving the total course offering but in an alternative way.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Gary-
What suggestions do you have in keeping a student interested when you only have one student in the classroom? Its tough especially when it is an evening class until 11pm.
Victor,
Glad you had a good model to follow and a professional educator from whom you could model your own approach.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I totally agree! All of my favorite past teachers from high school incorporated laughter in the class setting. Always thought it lifted the mood on the more intense lectures for just the right amount of time to give a bit of comedic relief. It def. rubbed off on me. My students respond to it well, and theres always a positive vibe in the room afterward.
Nila,
It is activities like that that keep students guessing as well as engaged. This way they start to look forward to your class because they don't know what you might do next and then you have their interest to go into the topic of the day.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Keeping students interested is a lot harder than I thought it would be. Being new to the field I had no idea how easily students lose interest in a topic. I always try to do something "crazy" or so out of the box that they get totally thrown off. For a lecture on stress and mood I start off the lecture by telling my students to put all of their books away, to sit on the desk, cross legged with their eyes closed. I'll dim the lighting, if that's possible in the classroom, and we'll do some breathing excersies, it's a relaxation technique to reduce stress. They're just thrown off by the fact that I tell them to sit on a table in college!
Richard,
You are commended for providing these additional resources to and for your students. You are helping them to stay focused on the content and making progress in the course without undue stress.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Many of my classes consist of students whose first language is not English. To ensure they understand, I have an interpreter in each class and utilize the mini-lecture approach.
Doreen,
Being a sub is tough in any setting. If you remember back to your high school days when there was a sub. The students for the most part were awful since they knew they could get by with disrespecting the sub. As you are experiencing it is the same in college. I would talk with the administration to see if you can get them to back you if you should decide that some students need to be removed from the class for disturbing the learning of others. If you can and if you do you will be sending a message that you are in control and mean business. If you can't then you are going to have a very difficult time with the class for as long as it meets.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Hi I am Lab instructor, but substuting for reg. instructor during lecture, and the sturdents are disrepectful and give me attidude, look at phone or just keep talking!!! therefore I just stop lecture and they roll ther eyes
ROBIN,
Great interest generators for your students. You are helping them to see applications of the information that you are sharing with them in other settings beyond the classroom.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have found a few different ways to keep them interested is to show them the "odd side" of the subject. If we're studying computer security, I show videos that talk about the mob's involvement in computer crime... that catches their attention and keeps them interested.
Gina,
Students like change of pace and variety so by using mini-lectures you will be offering both. In addition, you can check for understanding when you complete a mini-lecture so you will know where your students are in relation to gaining the course content.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I too am concerned about keeping the students interest for a 50 minute class. I like the mini lesson idea and having the students more actively involved.
Having students stand up and talk about what you just taught also keeps them engaged and interested. Sometimes you just need to stand up!
Lisa,
This is what student centered customized instruction should be about. You are helping them to see the value of the course and then connecting the content to their specific knowledge base.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I am the same way, plus I've learned that student understanding and participation varies from course to course. The first couple of classes I am feeling out my students for comprehension, then I base the method of instruction on what reaches out to them best.
Rebecca,
So true. I teach from 4 until 10 pm so I know how challenging keeping students engaged can be. Through the use of small groups, games, role playing and case studies I am able to keep them focused for the duration of the class. By the time 10 pm rolls around I am pretty well worn out because it takes a lot of effort to keep the energy up in the class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
It can be difficult to keep students awake; especially when they have been at work all day.
