The new student
As time goes on, us as instructors have a definite need to learn more about the indivduals in class, We need to dumb down for the new student.
On the first after I take roll, I start to ask a question of a few students. Then I will ask any
one student has anything to what the students were talking about. More and more students start to get involve, to a point I have them raise their hands to be called on.
Great points Todd. I agree that discovering where the student is can often help us to approach the material in a different way rather than in a "dumbed down" way.
Ryan
I a, not 100 % sure dumbing down for a new student is the right approach. How about finding ways to see where they are at understanding the material and then approaching what they dont understand from a new angle. I think forward and appropiate material is a key and I am sure that is where you were going with the original post.
Good morning Agnes!
Great approach that I believe always works even on the most difficult student.
Something else that I have done - where possible - is contact the students prior to the first class. There is something about that contact that helps the first "day get to know each other" activities. I will ask students to prepare one paragraph which tells their classmates something that they want them to know.
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
I do not think dumbing down the class is fair, nor is it ethical. Then everybody loses.
This is a great approach!
I make sure to use ice-breakers with the students day 1 of class. I find them very beneficial. This way I can relate to students better, and the students feel more comfortable with one another. This way I can also tie in the subject matter I teach with their individual majors.
HOOOOOOOOOOORAH for you Robert! Students want their instructor to be interested in who they are. Clearly you are a facilitator of learning!
I am curious - what do you do to engage that difficult student?
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
My experience has been that if I find out a little about the background experiences of my students on day 1, it is easier for me to present new concepts and have them understand by relating back to something that they are already familiar with. In most cases I have to do one on one with most of the students from time to time, as each student is a unique individual concerning their talents, and previous skills, as well as how quickly they understand new ideas.
When I first started working at my present job I had a conversation with our Director of Education about a problem student in my class. After our conversation I came to the realization that I was going to have to teach every single student as much as I could to the best of my ability no matter how fast or slow the student is.
To all responders?
How do you feel about John's comments?
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
I can't believe people are going to dumb down the class. If a student isn't in the right class then he needs to go back to a class that's on his level. If a student gets to my class and doesn't know the basics then the instructors before me haven't done a good job in preparing him. Why should a class of 18 students suffer because one or two of his class mates didn't take the time to learn the material required prior to my class. I think that is what's wrong with most of todays education. Higher learning should be just that. Too many times students are excepted because they can come up with the money. In most cases they are passed through the system so we can continue to get more money.
There is nothing wrong with having students fail your class. If they can't pass then they need to go back through the class again. That way they will have the opportunity to learn what they missed. Dumbing down a class just means everyone misses that information. Doesn't seem very fair to me.
I fully aggree that we need to learn about our students as individuals and unique learners. I don't agree that we need to "dumb down" anything; just recognize that students learning patterns are different.
If one student is a visualizer and another a verbalizer, their reaction to the other style will be negative. We need to ensure we put the material in a frame of reference they understand.
