The students diffrent personalities help to adjust the learning enviroment.
i read at home on the subjects i teach so i can be up todate on the materail. it helps the students and myself.
When you are trying to expand your knowledge and styles, I find it best to pick others minds. Ask co-workers, other instructors. See what has worked for them and what style of teaching they use. Not only do you have to potential to learn a new method of deliverying the information you have an opportunity to learn new information that you may not have already known.
Amen.
The more times you teach a particular subject, the more time you have to refine your techniques.
But I agree, each group of students are different and present their own set of challenges.
Yes, that is true. Some of us do not have the luxury of teaching the same course, term after term. So it becomes a balance, with course development taking the forefront, of necessity.
In part. I teach 4 courses per quarter, and these need preparation (new books, new courses, new technology)and, therefore, some of the development of new teaching techniques comes after course preparation.
Of course, some new teaching ideas are incorporated in the course development process.
It can be embarrasing if you let it. I try to be flexible with my schedule when trying something new.
Hi Terrance! It happens sometimes - I remember introducing a particular activity to a large group of students (including a specific visual and display)and I forgot how the activity works -very hard to recover and re-engage interest. However, as you note, tweaking our methods and trying new activities are crucial to keeping a classroom or lab fresh, stimulating, and motivating. Bravo for your efforts!
Jay Hollowell
ED107 Guest Facilitator
I love this statement. I try to tweak something every class. Or add new activities when possible. Every now and then an activity fails miserably.
It is a tough balancing act.
My priority is usually to make sure I have mastered the content for the class day before I work on new ways of teaching the material.
In all cases, there is never enough time for everything!
I firmly believe that you can NEVER know enough about the subject you are teaching; even if you have taught it for years and years. However, if you are well versed in your subject matter, this will give you more time to work on (polish) your classroom techniques, etc.
I try to work on my content knowledge AND classroom teaching techniques every week, however depending on the topic for the week I may devote more time to one or the other. As you become a more experienced "learning facilitator" you start to sense what you need to work on and strengthen each week. Of course, all of this also depends on the students in your class: are they eager learners, do they seem distracted, are they interested in the course content, etc.
-James Moore
I try to read the materials before class and feel fresh when I walk into the classroom. Depending on my class and the levels of the students, I attempt to adjust how I present the materials based on how they are presenting themselves. If they look tired, I don't lecture much.
I think a lot of it depends on where you are teaching, if you are a full time instructor or an adjunct instructor who comes to school 1-2x a week. As an adjunct instructor I find that a lot of time is spent hauling in materials, hauling out materials, getting set up, etc. End result--it is difficult to grow because we get bogged down with school rules and regulations!
Adaptability is definitly a key to being a successful learning facilitator. Each student is different and finding ways to encourage their best learning is the task! Creativity is another key - but that infers one has the time to be creative. Finding quiet reflective chunks of time is what I need to do so. I'm not an adrenaline junky! So each of us must understand our own needs first.
The same is true of learning. The students have to feel confident that they can succeed in a class. Another term that is related to this is "safe". If the student feels safe in the classroom, learning can happen. That means safe physically, safe from ridicule, safe to experiment, safe to fail and try again.
I find that the materials students bring to class can enhance the learning experience for the rest of the students. I then transfer the gems to future classes. However, I need to find new information in my field to stay energized about the topics, especially in remedial classes. The historic development of these topics give me class material and new information to use in class.
I have taught for a long time, but my students can show me how to teach them. My "bag of tricks" is well equipped, but the expressions on their faces tell me whether I have succeeded.
Balancing these two has been like a seesaw. I tend to search for a teaching technique when I am not reaching a student. I am an avid reader so learning about how people learn is as much a hobby as it is my profession. This gives me a good set of background information.
Classroom time, however, doesn't always fit with the student's learning style. Making use of the resouces outside of the classroom is essential to helping some of the students succeed.
I am an instructor in my field instead of actually practicing in my field. I stay current in my topics by attending relevant continuing education and reading journals. Attending continuing education seminars places me in the student/learner position, which gives me a different perspective on the subject. I pay close attention to how guest speakers present material. Not only am I staying current, but I'm also studying technique. I'm not sure that someone can be too prepared for class, so I am always working to improve my material.
I think, as the module points out several times, that you definitely have to be aware of both the need for learning about your topical area and the need for learning new methods of teaching that topic. They certainly go hand-in-hand.
I get most of the topical learning done through reading journals, listservs, etc. on a regular basis, but this topical learning doesn't really improve my ability to facilitate learning in a classroom. To find new ways of teaching, I also devote equal time to pedagogical improvement by attending webinars/seminars such as this one, taking advice from peers, taking notes after classes, etc.
Thanks, Carol! True, each class has its own dynamics. I often poll students during the course (sort of ongoing evaluations)to make sure I am on the same page with them and that any issues, questions, etc. are resolved.
Staying focused on the course objectives help to ensure expected learning outcomes across the diversities of student characteristics and styles.
Jay Hollowell
ED107 Guest Facilitator
Hi Jean,
I agree. If the instructor is excited about the material, the students will pick up on that excitement.
