Humour is great in the classroom environment! Specifically self-deprecating humour. Humour allows students to be less critical of themselves in the learning environment and provides for a fun, safe learning environment.
Chenal,
Good blend of resources to get your message across to your students. Each of these methods helps to illustrate to your students the value of the material being presented and gives them ideas for how they can apply what they are learning. This increases the ROI of the course to and for them.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Using a variety of methods in presenting my class is most beneficial because it holds the student's interest as well as my own. I lecture first, demonstrate and then summarize and ask questions. During class, I engage in personal application of the subject matter by asking for examples from students. Another great way of sharing information in the classroom is to ask students who have a particular field of expertise to demo with me. This seems well received by other students. I also utilize support materials such as workbooks and CD-rom offered in conjunction with our textbooks. Lastly, our beauty industry has great "trade magazines" and these are an important source of information. If many different methods are utilized, the subject matter is more fun and retention is greater.
Jessica,
This is called the "wrap around" method and it works. You start the story and add to it throughout the session and bring it to conclusion at the end so you have wrapped the story completely around the content being shared. It is a fun and engaging teaching tool.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Robert,
Thank you for sharing these strategies for keeping students engaged. Your methods bring variety and change of pace throughout the course session and this is what keeps the interest of students. Your class sounds like a very interesting as well as fun one to be in.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I really like the idea of having an interesting story (somehow related to the topic of course study for the day) at the beginning of the class that is not finished until the end of the lecture. Hopefully, this would keep the students engaged in the topic.
The best strategy for keeping students engaged is to vary the delivery of content. Keeping in mind that the goal is to not exceed the attention span of the learners it is best to keep lessons interesting by changing it up over time. Some classes that I teach run 1 hour and 45 minutes, other sections can run for about 4 hours. By planning the objectives in advance and by being creative it is possible to make 4 hours fly by quickly.
For example, I teach a basic drawing class that occasionally runs as a 4-hour session. It is nearly impossible to expect any student to draw straight through for 4 hours. So I break it up with demonstrations, slide presentations, critique discussions, unexpected exercises (like asking students to draw a still life with their opposite hand, or to finish someone else’s drawing), field trips, and in good weather – we sometimes go outside the building to find interesting subject matter and locations. We also plan photo shoots to obtain reference images. These activities are not intended as time-wasters or gimmicks. Instead each is intended to broaden the approach and provide opportunity for new ways to learn. It is also fun!
Michael,
You have a great strategy laid out for your classes. I teach from 4 until 10 pm so I face the challenge of long class sessions as well. It takes a lot of planning as you know to break up the class into time frames that will engage and keep the focus of the students. I have great students that are very dedicated to their career development but after working all day they are tired and thus need lots of activities that will keep their minds awake and their ability to learn on high.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
My class is run for 8 hrs. I usally lecture 4 hrs in the classroom & 4 hrs in the shop. For adults learning 4 hrs in the classroom is too much for them, therefore I always encourage them to ask questions. There was no stupid questions in my class, any questions is welcome as long as it related to subjects, sometimes I tell them some jokes to make they laugh & keep them awake, then we can continue with our subjects. One thing I learn is to read my students, keep my students engage by look direct into their eyes to study them to make sure they understand, if not then I use the other way to explain for them to make sure everyone understand before we can move on. Keep the class fun is very important.
DAVID E,
You have a good balance to your planned delivery and you are keeping your students informed along the way. By keeping the content in focus so they don't get to far ahead in their thinking and planning but stay focused on what is happening currently you are helping them to stay on pace.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Lea Ann,
You have a good flow to your instructional delivery. This way you are keeping the interest of your students and keeping the course on track.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Always be checking on what the students are studying or practicing. Always try to participate
and join in on what they are praticing or studying.
I keep my students informed as to how long the current subject will last and what is expected of them. I also make the students aware of what subject is next at the beginning of one course. I am careful so as not to make them look too far ahead and get caught up with worrying about next week's subject while overlooking this week's. Some of my subjects change every two weeks and some last a month or more. I guess I try to keep on their toes at all times, there really isn't very much time to slack off. It is very fast paced!
I tell my students what material we will be lecturing on and when in order to give them an opportunity to read over the information before class begins. I ask questions during the lecture and have group discussions. I also alternate lectures with hands on activities.
Leeann,
Sounds like a good plan. Your students have many opportunities to ask questions about the content and make applications. You are checking for understanding along this way and this is important to keep everyone moving forward.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I like to start the class with a Q and A session on their assigned reading from the night before. I move around the room and at times randomly select students to ask or answer questions. Next I go over the class objectives, then I deliver the lecture/presentation and finally move to lab so that the students can practice what we just covered. At the end of class I open the floor and ask student's to tell me what they learned that was most valuable to them that day. I have found that this works well.
Melannie,
This format for instructional delivery is right on target. This is how you keep the interest of students throughout the course sessions and enhance their satisfaction with the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Connie,
You make a very good and valid point about the value of helping students see how the content can be used and is relevant their career goals.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
It is important to provide the students with a variety of topics and methods of instruction, so they can listen to lecture, then practice their skills. This means the material is fresh and they feel more confident.
I also want a lot of repetition on skills, so I will often have students practicing vital signs on each other every day, so they feel that if they don't get it one day, they have many more chances to grasp it.
Finally, it is important to provide breaks. Students can only focus so long - a little 10 minute break allows them to regroup and come back to the class refreshed, so they are ready to learn more.
I like humor, laughing so i may have a cartoon picture etc related to the day's topic. i tell a funny story about a past experience in the field. i get students to tell about their experiences related to the topic. engage, engage. when it's fun for the students (and instructors too)it helps to stay engaged.
