Hi Martha,
How do you let the students know you are there to support them? How do they see you contributing to their career development?
Gary
Let the student know you are there to help them achieve their goals.
I find that giving extra credit assignments within the curriculum gives students a chance to get excited about a part of the course that truly motivates them.
Hi Nancy,
I commend you for your use of relevant materials in the classroom. By bringing in the industry periodicals you are showing them how the real world operates. This will help them bridge the gap between school and work and make the adjustment for them much easier.
Gary
In each class, I bring in industry periodicals and articles pertinent to the various programs taught in my school. I review different trends and topics presented in these magazines and articles, in order to build a level of excitement for the students' chosen field, and to give them information on the current buzz in their industries. This always generates great discussions, and they become more energized to learn during the class period.
I find it to be an ongoing process throughout the semester. I also find the anonymous student surveys at the end of the course to be invaluable. I always encourage students to be honest and constructive and I take their opinions into consideration when planning the course the next session.
Hi Karen,
What have you found to be the most effective strategies for getting student input and feedback on the progress of the course?
Gary
Hi Jeremiah,
Right you are. With a high level of motivation the students keep engaged in the learning process and focused on the outcomes. This will result in higher student satisfaction and completion.
Gary
Hi Luke,
Thank you for sharing this example of how to structure a class setting to get the maximum return from students. You are keeping them on task and progressing in their development.
Gary
We need to make the subject relevant to the students. Ask for their input and bring their experiences into the classroom.
I find that when I make it my goal to discover and teach according to a students learning style and according to how they best respond to encouragement, I am able to push them in the direction of self motivation. This, I believe, is valuable, not only in the classroom, but in their respective careers as well.
I have been giving the class a daily time line to accomplish. In this time line, I outline the goals the class as a whole has to accomplish. The tasks do not seem so daunting if as a team they can be finished. I also act as the "drill Sargent", vocalizing the times when the specific tasks need to be done. It sounds a bit strict, but the students, when encouraged to work as teams, really seem to be motivated to help one another. I have noticed not only class participation rising, but attendance as well.
Hi Laurie,
You do have a major challenge with the current structure you are working in. I don't have a good answer for your question since you are already doing the things that I would suggest to get the students motivated.
I would talk with the administration about possible revisions in the grading scheme. There needs to be a "pay off" for the students if they work hard. This pay off should be an A if it is earned rather than pass/fail.
Is it possible to have a contest of some kind for the development and writing of a creative menu? Some college recognition for the winner. Anything along this line to reward the hard work of students.
Just some ideas for you to think about.
Gary
As an English Composition teacher in a school devoted to culinary arts, I find that most of my students aren't highly motivated by the material even when I make it as relevant as possible to what they will need to have in the working world. Practical assignments in resume, cover letter and portfolio are combined with creative writing as it applies to menus, restaurant reviews and narrative writing around food topics. Nevertheless, the pass/no pass grading system doesn't motivate students to do more than what is minimally required. How can motivation be enhanced when there is resistance to the subject matter and no chance for an A?
Hi Laura,
Right you are. This is why I have a simple exercise that I have my students do the first class meeting where they can be successful just to show them how they can be successful in the upcoming course. A little success is the cornerstone of great success if they believe they can achieve.
Gary
Self-efficacy I think would help students motivation.Past performance is the single greatest contributor to students' confidence. If students have been successful at a particular skill in the past, they will probably believe that they will be successful at the skill in the future. The old adage, “Nothing breeds success like success†certainly is true when it comes to developing self-efficacy.
Hi Thomas,
I really like your approach to starting a new group of students. You have a soft comfortable way of helping them feel welcomed while showing them you care about them and their success in the course.
Gary
Motivating students of a new class seems to be easy when I show them that I care about them! I greet them and tell them that I am glad to have them participating in the course. I further take an extra minute to get to know at least one little thing about each person. I then take attendance and then wager that by the first break I will know everyone by name... and if not I will "buy them a cup of free coffee". I then mention that our break rooms have self-serve coffee available at no charge. They realize it is a win/win deal for everybody and the light humor is a nice ice breaker. The fact is, the one little thing I've learned about each person is a way to associate the person with their name.
In the Restaurant Guest Service we try to make a friendly game out of tips collected, and relate that to a measure of service quality. It's a small step, but one the students seem real eager about.
I have found that making every attempt to get to know students by name as soon as possible is key. As well, it's important to be in the room before class with your agenda up on the whiteboard/chalkboard/infocus screen, give them a smile and ask how are you doing today?
Finally, it's great to give them a quiz or one-page assignment as soon as you can (first or second week)so they can get feedback about how they are proceeding as soon as possible. Students care about how they are evaluated and want to know you care -- these strategies go some way toward putting them in the right frame of mind for the remainder of the course.
