Carmencita,
yes getting ideas from your peers & finding out what has worked for them is a great way to develop our professional skills.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I will try to read additional information on the topic. Since I teach psychology, there is often topics on the news or in the paper that I can learn from and bring to class. For example, the new changes to the DSM-V manual.
Learning teaching methods and habits from other instructors is how I adopted my way of teaching.
I'm always looking for material and way that I can improve my ability to faciliate my classes in a way that my students understand the material presented to them.
Because, my students all learn differently, I try to interject different way for them to learn the material.
I get different ideas from other teachers whic is always helpful.
I try my best to balance the need to learn more about the subject matter that I teach by preparing lessons based on the latest research of current trends in my industry and then pass it along to my budding industry professionals (students).
Paying attention to the latest news about my industry and conducting continuous research can really broaden ones mind in regards to growing as a learning facilitator.
I try to keep up with the current trends by utilizing current magazines and articles. I also try to attend any local meetings or shows. During breaks at school or throughout the year, I try taking training classes that relate to the classes I teach.
Douglas,
yes, even though we've taught a subject for many years or have a great deal of experience in the field, we must always think about learning more & improving ourselves.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Douglas,
yes, even though we've taught a subject for many years or have a great deal of experience in the field, we must always think about learning more & improving ourselves.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Being a professional, there is a constant need to learn about the topics that we are teaching about. Balance is required between the current issues and the core topics the students need to know to support the course learning objectives.
It is important to keep up to date with the latest information and techniques in the field using various sources (courses, seminars, journals,internet)so that the current trends can be shared with the students, which ultimately motivates them.
Continuing education classes, workshops, seminars, conferences, etc..
These are all GREAT ways to refresh ones knowledge while sharing ideas with others in the same field.
I try to assess the appropriate learning method by utilizing student engagement in the first hour of the first lecture of the course.
To grow myself as a learner I attend as many seminars and learning activities that I can find on the weekends and online. I subscribe to the monthly magazine for my profession to keep up the lastest that is in the field of my studnets.
Lori,
I really love tapping into the experience & expertise around me. Also by bringing in these field experts or taking the field trips, we are helping our students to start networking in their chosen fields.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Integrating outside resources is a great way to learn while teaching. For instance, I have brought professionals from the field into the classroom to speak on a topic that is of mutual interest to the classroom topics. We have also gone on field trips to explore options of the profession while integrating the topics to our curriculum, I get CEUs, they get professional experience.
Thank you,
Lori Hules
renita,
and this is a great example to your students of how the learning never ends & they must stay on top of the field.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
There is always professional development and in-service classes. I’m forever required to take in-service classes and webinars on new topics in subjects I teach. I teach mainly IT classes and the environment is constantly changing, so there is no other way to stay current than to continue to learn what’s new.
I am continually learning something new about the subjects I teach. Between reading articles and attending seminars for my CMEs and CEUs, I am able to stay on top of new topics and review old ones. I also learn in my class rooms. With students today, who are always on the internet, they see and read articles that may be pertinent to class and bring these ideas into class discussion. Its wonderful! And if it is something I have not seen yet, I go and read about it. My teaching method is continually evolving. I like to lecture, but I always have an open policy that allows the students to ask questions and give their own personal experiences on the subject. I have come to incorporate the use of clay in my Anatomy and Physiology classes, especially for systems that the students are having problems with. They start out a little hesitant, but once they start playing with the clay, they really enjoy it and ask when are they going to do that again. I try to use DVDs also in class so students can see things visually. I have also used case studies, where students can work in groups and then present their material. I try new things in class and if they work they work, if not, I try something else or "tweak" it. I talk with other instructors or watch other people to see how they work ideas into their class. I have learned to be open to new things in the classroom, which is very different than the years of schooling I had.
This is a balance I have to do in a clinical setting as well as in the classroom. New information/drugs/techniques/diagnostic tests come out all the time and we have to keep up to not only stay competetive, but also provide quality medicine. This can not happen if staff is not constantly being trainend in the current procedures. To relay this to students I bring in various journals and medical magazines of our field.
