Motivation
It is very important to keep your class motivated about the subject you are teaching and motivated to learn. How can you do this? Using what is going on today and bringing real facts to the class will not only open your students eyes but they will see that they are learning real life situations they can use in the work place when they receive their degrees.
Jeanne,
Yes, students really like hearing stories from the field. Since you are working in it full time you are bringing the most current examples of what the students will face when they enter the field. This gets them really motivated. As for the homework issue this is an ongoing challenge for most educators. Do you place an grade value on the homework? If not you might want to assign professional points for homework completed and handed in on time. Make the points of enough value to help their move them a grade if they complete it as required. This should help them get it done and handed in on time.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I find story telling is a great way to keep students interested and motivated during class. I work full time in my field, and teach part time so I have many practical and interesting stories. I struggle more with motivating certain students to get homework in on time. I know they are capable of more; they just don't put forth the effort.
Tiffany,
You are going to like the results you get when you introduce current events in relation to your class topic. This really gets the students talking and engaged because you are showing them relevancy.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I totally agree. I want to capture my students' attention by being relevant and excting. I'm a new teacher and I've thought hard about integrating media into my presentations, but I haven't thought about putting real-life current events into my daily routines to keep them intrigued with the real-world job force.
Thanks for that,
Tiffany B.
Yes, Courtney. Motivation has been/is a challenge for me. You make very good points. I also learned useful tips in this section of the course.
Chase,
Good point. There has to be a balance to stories shared. For sure they need to tie directly to the topic being studied if they are to have any value.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
We have all had the instructors that go overboard with the stories. I had a class once with an instructor that was notorious for giving personal stories about every topic he taught. A little is good but it can get overwhelming.
Courtney,
The statement you make is true and a very important way to inform the students about the profession they are entering. When I share stories about experiences I have had, they tend to take me more serious and are more willing to listen.
Courtney,
Application and relevancy are two essential components of students involvement. You are introducing and using both with these strategies.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
