Hi Antoinette,
You have a great balance in your approach to teaching. By using student learning groups you share their knowledge throughout the class and let them demonstrate their expertise. This approach also brings in those students that may not be as talkative or as out front as other students.
Gary
In addition to a syllabus which is standard in our system, I provide the students with an addendum which details expectations regarding class policies and procedures, assignments, projects, and papers.
Each of these would be discussed in the first class meeting and followed up during subsequent classes as deadlines near.
I present my course syllabus to show them where we should be by the end of the course. I follow that with the presentation of the class materials (text and other materials) to show them how we will get there, and finally I like to present to them how this course fits within the sequence of other language courses. Where are they in the language learning line? What can they expect in the future? What have they seen in the past?
I like to discuss different types of activities and student involvement in my courses. Keeping in mind different learning styles, I make sure to present a variety of activities suitable for all learners. I want to make sure they all have a sense of being capable of achieving the course goals.
I use a power point presentation which goes over school policies, as well as proper use of the equipment in the classroom. I try to keep things relaxed so that they feel more at ease. I will also ask questions of them on material that I have already covered, this is so that I am monitoring whether everyone understands. I go over the material that they will cover through this course and how they will be graded on this material. I also show them examples of how I will grade the material.
On the first day of class, I notice that students tend to be tense when they walk into the class. So I have always enjoyed allowing students to work in groups of 2-3 people in order to have them introduce each other to the class. In this way, students are getting to know each other and they are learning each other's names.
In terms of expectations, I make sure that I verbally state what is expected of them in the course. Also, I place my expectations in the Course Syllabus so that there is no confusion on what needs to be completed in order to complete the course successfully. Throughout the course, I remind them of things that they need to do such as: reading the textbook, attending class to get the notes, group work assignments, etc.
In my course, student participation incorporates working in a group on a problem that I have assigned. After the group has worked out the problem, they can pick one member from the group to post and explain the problem that they were given. This, in turn, reinforces the understanding of the material that we have learned thus far in a Chapter. Students seem to enjoy working together because it gives them a chance to talk and learn from each other.
In addition to going through the syllabus and emphisizing the late work and grading policies, I email them about two days before the class starts. In my "welcome" letter I tell them how much fun we will have, a little about what to expect and I emphasize attendance. In my school and in my class a portion of their grade comes from class participation and while attendance is not the entire grade, obviously they cannot participate if they are not in class.
janet
Hi Jessica,
Knowledge of up front course requirements and expectations help to set the tone for the course. The students know what is coming and what they are going to be held accountable for. Good job of setting the stage for your students.
Gary
Hi Renee,
Good explanation of how you cover course expectations and requirements. Students need to know what is coming their way in the coming weeks plus what they are going to be held accountable for. When they know this up front they can see throughout the course how they are doing and what progress they are making. This way you can concentrate on providing support and encouragement to them as needed.
Gary
I feel that we should do the same thing. I always make sure my students know about the expectations about the course and what I want them to be able to do by the end of the class. I believe that if students are well informed from the beginning, they will be able to make better plans later on in the course.
I think it is very important to provide students clear statements of what is expected from them in the course. Students prefer standards be outlined at the very beginning of the course, so they can measure their progress and understand how their performance will be evaluated. Clear expectations and the consistent application of standards are important to students. I spend quite a lot of time perfecting my syllabus (also called a course addendum at my college). I like to include as much information as possible and even include a tentative schedule of events that provides details regarding assignments in the course. I feel this way, students know what assignments are planned in the weeks to come. I always caution them that the schedule is subject to change, but, for the most part, is a good representation of what is expected. I think students appreciate the detailed course addendum because it allows them insight into working in advance should they anticipate being absent, etc. I also spend a great deal of time going over the syllabus (course addendum) during our first class meeting.
Renee Weeks
Hi Amy,
Good idea. This way your students not only have had the objectives reviewed for them they have had to invest in the process by writing down the three goals.
Gary
Hi Bill,
What a great plan you have for starting a new class. You cover all of the bases in your approach so the students are clear on expectations and requirements. Your use of introductions helps to get the students comfortable and settled in to the class. Good work!
Gary
I verbally review the objectives and will have students write down 3 goals that they want from themselves by the time the course is done.
On the first day of class I give students an information packet, which contains the course syllabus, course outline, grading criteria, school and course policies, supplemental course material, and other information. We spend about two hours discussing everything about the course and student expectations, in addition to briefly discussing career expectations and requirements. To help the students feel at ease, each student briefly discusses their background, course expectations, and areas of concern. Following this, I briefly explain my background and experience, and how it can help the students to better understand the course material.
Some expectations are in the form of school guidelines and requirements that are very specific and detailed. They must be followed without any exceptions. For example, each student is required to wear a uniform. It must be complete and worn in a specific manner. If the uniform is not 100% correct, the student is not allowed to attend class. For each of the school policies, which also cover plagiarism, fighting, drug use, and other areas, student conduct is strictly enforced and is not open to interpretation by the course instructor. The school policies only indirectly affect the student’s grade.
Expectations for the course are of more direct concern to the student. The course and its requirements can be established and enforced at the discretion of the course instructor. Besides explaining the course requirements, the instructor must make sure the students understand their purpose and how the student can be successful in the course. Positive reinforcement and encouragement, both part of motivation, are much more effective teaching techniques than emphasizing negative conduct and mistakes. Self-confidence is developed by the students as they achieve each small step towards their final goal. The more self-confident that they become, the better that they feel about themselves and in achieving their goal.
Hi Amy,
You are right about adult learners. They want to bring their life experiences to the learning setting. As instructors we need to allow them to build their confidence through participation and contributions to the course.
Gary
In adult learning it is best to facilitate learning rather than teach. Therefore, I expect learners to participate in disucssion and take ownership of thier own educational paths. I explain this to my students and tell them that I believe they learn just as much from each other as they do from me. I also tell them that as long as I can see they are learning from discussion that there will be little reason for quizzes throughout the course. They seem to like that idea and they have a motivation to participate in the disucssion.
Amy Thenor
Hi Arlene,
You make a very good point about expectations and respect. The students need to see that they are gaining skills that will enable to make progress toward their career goals. By being respected and having rapport with you they know that you care about their success and future. Well done.
Gary
Hi Christine,
I like your evaluation method with a second chance effort being allowed if the student want to put forth the effort. By explaining how they can be successful and then giving them examples they can work through their assignments with more confidence.
Gary
Hi Christine,
Clear explanations, realistic expectations, and examples of how to be successful are all important aspects of setting the tone for a class. You are doing an excellent job of doing all of these critical instructional aspects. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Hi Vinita,
Based upon your forum comments it is clear that you bring a balanced approach to the classroom. Your students get to learn new information, see applications and learn from an instructor that has extensive experience in the field. This is a what our career college classrooms need to be like.
Gary
