Relating... a tool for learning?
I have found that with the younger students just coming into the program that in order for them to decide to participate in learning-I needed to become more personalized in my approach to teaching. That was interesting to me as my own learning style is somewhat teacher motivated, however, I enjoy the learning process and do not need the teacher to be personally involved with it for me to learn. The younger students really got on board when I let them know me and I took some time to get to know them. It was like that had to happen before they would learn. Interesting.
Karen:
That is a tricky subject you bring up. It is important for your students to relate in order to feel like "we're all in this together." At the same time, one must be careful to not reveal "too much" in any way that would undermine one's credibility as an expert in the field.
This quarter, I tried more classroom activities at the beginning of the quarter that allowed me and my students to get to know each other. I think this class has been more cohesive and focused because they are willing to give each other a "hard time" in a playful way without it detracting from what we are covering in class. They are also more comfortable working with each other and coming to me for help.
Hi Rejandra- Thanks for your post to the forum. I'll bet that for most students the question is not so much "How well does my teacher know math?" but rather "How well can my teacher TEACH math?" Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I have found that the same is true with my students. It feels that just because I told them my credentials it was not enough for the students to believe me that I know Math. I had to get to know my students.
Hi Harmony - Having had classes with Ph.Ds who could not teach their way out of a paper bag, I really understand the scepticism that our students often exhibit at the start of a class. So, it's up to us to to show them what we're made of! Best wishes- Susan
I agree with you Karen. I have found that the same is true with my students. It feels that just because I told them my credentials it was not enough for the students to believe me that I know Math. I had to get to know my students. They had to feel comfortable with me as an instructor before I they would relax in class and also answer questions with confidence.
I agree with your observations, and also feel that you need to be in touch with what the student interests are of the moment in order to relate the course material to them.
