Keeping students alert
I have found it helpful to move about quite a bit in the classroom and give short stretch breaks when students are tired.
One of my accounting classes is from 6:00 - 10:00 pm for students who have already spent a full day at work. Regular breaks and changing the tempo with groups solving exercises and then presenting them to the whole class seems to help.
When their heads hit the table, I know it is time to wake them for a break.
I have found that variation in pitch, visual cues (gestures & movement in the classroom) and use of demonstrations/audiovisual aids are helpful for students to maintain their attention to the lecture.
Hi Stacey,
I teach in the same format. I have a class from 4 until 7 pm and then another from 7 until 10 pm. I have to do many different things to keep the students engaged and focused just as you are. I find teaching in this time frame rewarding because of the challenges I have in developing activities that will keep the students engaged throughout the entire class.
Gary
The classes I teach are three hours long so it is important that I give my class a break.
I also keep my students alert by doing a lot of in-class activities instead of lecturing the whole class period.
Hi Matt,
Good moves all. Get the blood flowing and muscles moving so they can get refocused and refreshed and ready for next instructional segment.
Gary
Hi Dianne,
I would come at this time frame from two directions. As for a break I would give one toward the end of the first hour to break up the two hour segment.(This can be 10-15 in length) The other thing I would do is to plan the lectures around 15 minutes or so and then have some type of activity. Maybe they could work in small groups, maybe an open forum discussion, maybe a case study, etc. Anything that will let them shift their minds a bit from listening and note taking to using the information they are receiving. By keeping the instruction in the shorter segments you are refreshing the students without taking a get up and walk about or snacking type of break.
Gary
The action of a state change is very effective. When we have those 150+ slide Power Points and I see the knodding heads, I will usually kick a large noisy cabinet or drop what ever pass around I'm holding on the floor "accidently". If the heads continue to fall, I flip on all the lights abruptly, and instruct the students to get up, get a soda, pee, walk around for 5 minutes, whatever it takes, and then resume class. The trick to the break is to NOT allow the sleepy ones to get a nap for 5 minutes, this does not help them wake up, make them walk around.
Since I often have to teach in 2 hour "lecture" increments I have to mix it up. How many breaks would you reccomend
I do the same trying to watch for sign of boredome and switch the learning method to a more interactive one to get them ino group of 2 or 3 and a do an activity.
Hi Berlinda,
Bringing the students into the discussion is critical for them to get invested. Your approach is doing just that. This way they can feel a part of the course express their opinions and share their knowledge. Good job.
Gary
Showing pictures of a different topic, I feel this has been helpful to me when keeping individuals alert. Asking the question: What is their viewpoint on what they have just seen.
Every so often during lecture, I engage students in conversation related to the topic at hand. For example, why would we see these clinical signs in our patient? I relate lecture to real life.
i think moving about the classroom keeps students engaged it also makes them less likely to take a nap or be playing with cell phone/reading magazines that they have in their binders if they know you are going to be coming by. Also by using powerpoints, videos and lecturing you break up the class, students dont know what to expect so they keep alert.
Hi Mona,
Wonderful to hear that you are able to use this information in your professional development. Sounds like you are offering your students a variety of ways to learn and achieve in your course. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Sometimes when the lecture is very long and tedious i have the students stand up and stretch, or I give them a break every 10 minutes out of the hour, or sometimes we will review the material in the form of Jeopardy questions as a reward I bring in candy bars or gum to make it more entertaining and make the learning process more fun I teach a variety of student and ages from 18 to 60 in my class. Thank you for this opportunity to participate in the forum I have read and looked at several of your answers to the questions and feel even more refreshed in the realm of teaching. Thank You Mona Graves
Hi Maple,
You are right about an instructor having to "read" students. This reading enables the instructor to change the pace of the class, give breaks or introduce a new activity all based upon how the students reacting in the class setting.
Gary
I believe that an instructor that is in tune to his/her students should be able to determine when a break is required. Students normally will give you an indicator by moving in their chair or looking less attentive, turning pages, etc. These are indicators to take a break so that when you return back to the lesson, you will have all of their attention.
I try to keep the students alert by asking questions after a demonstration. For example, why am I doing this? Is this being done correctly?
Mixing up multiple lab experences with classroom theory seems more effective than having a whole block of theory followed by a whole block of lab.
