Taking the time to learn about your students.
I believe that taking the time to learn about students will help you really understand their learning style. I prefer to integrate many different learning styles into my class periods. I understand that we need to work together to make the class as interesting and as productive environment as possible.
Yes to take the time to get to know our students is a learning process initself, I use examples and ideas that most interest my students; showing that you care about them impresses them; it makes them want to learn more and to impress me that they are learning.
I've been fortunate enough in the past few quarters to have smaller class sizes. Therefore, it's been easier for me to give them more individual one-to-one time with the hopes of insuring their success in the class.
Hi Marcia,
Great idea! This way both you and your students can develop an appreciation for the schedules you all maintain while going to school. Very clear and very graphic.
Gary
The first day I do several projects with the students. I hand them a "first meeting" sheet that asks questions of them such as:
- what do you expect to learn from this class
- how do you learn best ( I list styles)
- how many classes are you taking this quarter
Then I show them my dayplanner. I have each day of the week listed in 15 minute segments, from 5a.m. to 10p.m. I hand them one and ask them to fill in the times that they have class, that they work, and any other regular committments. I explain that in some of the blank spaces they need to set aside time to study, and treat those times as a regular appointment time. And, they need to find time for themselves, whether it is to exercise or to have fun.
They keep the sheets for themselves, but it helps me soo how busy they are, too.
Hi Suzanne,
Great job of adapting your instruction to the needs of your current students. You are really targeting your students and their needs. You were able to support the 5% and get them to speed without slowing down the rest of the class.
Gary
I also believe this is important. My first day I alsway do a round robin inquiry of each student's profile, interests, work status, family etc. This quarter I am teaching a class that oddly enough 95% of the students are currently working in the field. It would be foolish and very boring to these strudents if I started "from scratch" with the basics. Therefore I am covering a more advanced level of information. The first day of class I assigned a worksheet that was to be completed thru an internet search. While the 95% students were completing the worksheet I spent 1 hour of one-on-one time with the other 5% to catch them up (per se) so the class as a wole could move forward. It has worked out very nicely.
