losing your students attention
i think it is important to tell jokes or a funny story when doing lectures, because it breaks the students daydreaming and focusses them back to what you are talking about and also lightens up the mood of the class.
I think it is important to build rapport and understand them. Help with their weakness and guide them.
I agree. I try to give the students a break or have them do activities that are provided at the end of the chapters I am discussing.
I can relate to your point! I have found that when relaying personal experience in our field to my students, they seem to become even more engaged--they feel a real connection to my experience. Once they are back in focus on the subject, I can return to lecture material.
Humor goes a long way. I agree wholeheartedly. But there is a line that is sometimes be crossed with humor. If you go for the laugh every time, the students forget to be serious about any material.
Hi Ricardo,
If students are focused they will also be engaged and with engagement comes learning. Thus, we instructors need to use all the strategies that we can to help the students to stay focused on our course content.
Gary
I believe keeping the students focussed in the class is very important,keeping them interested and eager to learn, will be of great benefit for both, the student and the instructor
Hi Chanel,
These are all good examples of how you can change the flow of the class with different types of stories and examples. Students like to hear these kinds of stories as they can put themselves into the same types of situations. They see how you were successful and that they can be successful in the near future as well.
Gary
I think that telling stories to help explain a topic or a story about a life-experience you had really gets students attention...they like to hear that the lesson they are doing is going to be part of their future career..and sometimes they may learn from one of our mistakes in the field...and its a funny story sometimes that may break up the monotony
Hi Loey,
What a great opportunity you have due to the content of your course. This lends itself so well to the learning preferences of the students and then showing them the application of their life experiences in relation to their futures.
Gary
I like to involve the students by asking for their personal style or experience regarding the topic being discussed. Since I teach Interpersonal Relations and Psychology this is easier in my classes than in others. This bring their attendion around quickly and it is also a terrific way to get to know one another throughout the term.
I feel the best way to keep my students attention is to keep my lectures short, then follow the lecture with either some hands on activity or a short quiz. This keeps them on their toes. I also use alot of videos to keep them engaged.
Hi Anne,
And I thought I had it rough teaching from 4 until 10. My students are sleepy from having worked all day. Your students are trying to start their engines. You are right on with your activities so you can get their eyes open and the blood flowing.
Gary
The class I teach starts at 7am and while I have been up for many hours before the start of class, most of my students have not. I find that starting with something that gets them engaged right away has a tendency to keep them awake and focused through out the rest of the class.
You can even break them into groups and play jeopardy with the lecture contents. With this, you can learn and have fun at the same time.
I also think telling stories during lecture helps the students retain the information. I am more likely to remember something if I can attach it to a real life story.
Hi William,
A man after my own heart. I use magic tricks on occasion to recapture the focus of the students. Plus, the students like it even as adults. There is a little bit of kid in all of us and it is fun to bring that kid out once in a while.
Gary
not only do I tell jokes, I also do magic tricks everynow and then.....it really wakes the students up
Hi Laura,
I agree with your suggestion of needing to keep things moving in a four hour class. My classes are all three hours and at night. At times it seems that I am borrowing a line from the movie because "I see dead people". I do a lot of activities that keeps the students moving. I put them into groups and then have them post things on the walls, anything to get them up and the blood flowing. This is in addition to the breaks. I really enjoy teaching at these times because I get to do some wilder things to keep the students interested and I have fun while doing it.
Gary
This is an excellent idea which I will utilize. I talk to my students about my experiences but never would have thought to reverse the roll to them.
