I like to cross reference the course material with applications in the work world. This solidifies the validity of the material. Students want to know that the information they are learning is pertinent for the field they are trying to enter. Also, I stress the value of team work and inform them at the beginning of the course that it is graded as part of class participation. When I put the students in teams, I assign them different management levels. In order to complete the project successfully, they must work together and help each other. In this way, they can see exactly how this fits into real company practices. I believe this really helps motivate the students, because they can realize that they are on a good road, heading towards the positions they are seeking.
Hi James,
Good for you and your students. Your students have the opportunity to study with and learn from a person with extensive experience. This is a great way for them to see themselves in their careers once they have worked with you and you have shared your experiences.
Gary
That is why I try to rely as much as possible on my 40 years in my profession to relate the material to real life practice.
Hi Brian,
I like games as well. Students like to do these types of activities as they break up the flow of the class while letting them use some of the content they have learned while answering the questions in the games.
Gary
Hi James,
I do the same thing myself in my classrooms on the first day of class. I usually go around the classroom and have the students share these ith me and with each other, and encourage them to write their thoughts down and hold onto them. This helps me to get to know my students on a more personal level as well as helps them get to know each other as well.
As a student myself, I know how easy it is to lose the forest for the trees, and get sidetracked or distracted by the minutiae of learning and the dailiness of life. I firmly believe in keeping touch with the big picture to support one's motivation when the stress of undertaking structured learning as an adult gets overwhelming, as it is bound to do from time to time. Thank you for sharing this.
Hi Anthony,
Keep up the enthusiasm and it will pay off. You make a good point about important it is to bring excitement to the classroom. If you don't then it is going to be a long class session.
Gary
One of the things I have done was to create a FRINDLY competitive atmosphere. We play games like football, or Jeopardy in the class room to earn extra points. I have noticed that it seems to ease their tensions about the test, but they want to study and take notes because the want to win extra points or rewards that may be offered.
Continuous student motivation is essential for the success of any course taught by an instructor. It communicates to the student that they can accomplish whatever they set their mind to. I agree that you have to love what you do and if you can convey that desire you have to a particular subject it may reinforce the desire for the students to want to have what you have.
To motivate students instead of a lecture all the time i get them actively involve in want they are learning by using real life situation that they can relate to, this get them to open up and be comfortable in class with one another. Sometime getting their opinion or a debate about something usually get them motivated and interested to learn more in the class.
I always start my new class by saying give yourself a pat on the back you are great you are almost there, you can see the finish line. Now my goal is to get you across the finish line and here is how we are going to reach that goal.
Julia
I will end each class with students making a list of what they have learned. We individually will go around to each student and they will say what they learned. Our goal is to make it through each student without repeating anything.
Hi Melissa,
Good way to read your students and recognize what is working with them in terms learning strategies. This is the way you can keep expanding your student outreach and involve everyone in the learning process.
Gary
I have found that when I let students know that a certain subject or discussion is due at the end of class it seems to keep them on time. When I let them know my past working history of the topic and involve them in a group discussion, I notice that participation is high. By using a group discussion on the topic, i notice that they work more effectively with each other.
Hi Tessie,
Great strategies plus they sound like they are fun to learn. Once the students have these terms drilled into their minds they won't forget them.
Gary
This Needs Assessment is a great idea. I use something similar, but refer to it as Course Goals. I keep them for the students, then let them read them at the end of the course.
Thanks!
One of the strategies I use is to learn their names before the end of the 1st day of class and it always works to make the students feel less apprehensive and I think it makes them feel that I see them as individuals and not just one of many.Also depending on the time length of the subject, for example in Medical Terminology I make them master certain terms ahead of time, by making them remember them thru games and repetition and by giving them mnemonic techniques and other memory devices like "fav" for favorite ( friend, dish, color) which stands for frontal, anterior and ventral. These, I found out make them feel that they can tackle the subject.
Hi Sarah,
All of the above will work to your favor in relation to creating rapport with your students while earning their respect. You are going to do great in the classroom. I wish you the best in your teaching career.
Gary
I have not yet begun teaching, however, reading many of the great ideas and accomplishments of instructors, I wonder if the basics idea of eye contact, a smile, confident posture in front of the students, would be a positive approach, showing strength and determination behind a presentation. A technique for pulling that dis-engaged student "in"?
Sarah
someone told me that the greatest way to motivate someone is to give them responsibility. This includes the responsibility to succeed or fail. There is learning in failure, ask any piano teacher, or bull rider,the idea though is to get back up and try again.
Hi James,
I like the way you open up a class. This gets the students thinking from the very beginning while helping you to get to know the students better.
Gary
