It keeps students focused!!!!
I'm scared Of getting too personal sometimes.
I feel eye contact lets your students know that you care. If you don't even look at them you are telling them you do not care.
Eye contact lets each student know that you are paying attention to the entire class but also each individual.
I believe it keeps the student involved, and shows that we want them to pay attention. It gives instruction a personal affect.
Eye contact maintains a personal relationship with the student .
The value of having eye contact with students is that you can determine if you are getting through to them. Are they understanding the concepts as you have presented to them, or should you change your delivery? Would now be a good time to use a "life experience" example to clarify the concept? Do I have everyone's attention? The list goes on and on. However, the length of time that eye contact is made is very important. We do not want to convey a message that is not appropritate. Nor do we want to offend anyone.
Eye contact maintains a personal relationship with the student even if nothing is being aid. It also keeps people who might cheat honest.
Maintaining eye contact with student make them know that you are aware of their presence,and want to redirect their attention to the topic. However, some students who have different culture may not feel comfortable about this as they perceived it as being rude. Typically, eye contact should not be longer that 3 seconds as it may mean differently for them. For those students who are not compfortable with eye contact due to their culture, you can look at their nose or shoulder.
Eye contact lets the studnet know you are focusing on the entire class but also on them as an individual.
