Making eye contact with students will make them feel they are part of the class, and you as the insturctor can access the student to see if the student is understanding or if I as the instructor is moving to fast.
It engages the student and lets them know that you are engaging them as well. each student looks to you for ques as to what's going on, and by making eye contact you state to the student that you know the subject and you are confident.
i believe that maintaing eye contact with students gives the instructor a feel if the student is understanding the content or not and it brings the instruction to a more personalized level. In other words im talking to you do you understand me.
Keeping eye contact with each student helps the instructor keep the class involved and allows the students to feel more relaxed and engaged. Plus it allows the instructor to know if his delivery is not working.
They know that you see them and recognize that they are in the class. I have a tendency to look at the people that are most attentive for more of the class but I have tried to adjust my eye contact to be inclusive of the whole class.
When you maintain eye contact with the students, you acknowledge them that you care about them and also they are part of the classroom. Also by doing this you will be able to noticed if the students are following you through the learning process or if anyone need help in catching up.
Agreed. Teaching is personal interaction between the teacher and the student. Making eye contact enables the teacher to connect personally with the student(s).
In addition to making every student feel a part of the class by making brief eye contact - in my class there is a different reason. I have a student with significant hearing impairment. I make a point of maintaining eye contact with her a little longer than the others for 2 reasons. #1 I know she is reading my lips and eye contact forces me to face her directly so she can see them. The other reason is I watch for that light bulb to go on or realize that she hasn't been able to either hear or read my lips and I need to repeat or rephrase.
Maintaining eye contact allows me to show every student that I am interested in their individual learning. I want to make sure that all my "parts" (students) are on board before the "whole" (ship/class) carries us to greater distances.
Joyce,
yes, this really does help engage the student & pull them into the class.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Eye contact draws the students into the discussion and helps them to feel more comfortable with the instructor. If you are nervous speaking in front of others it will help break the ice and allow both student and instructor to feel more comfortable.
David,
yes, it makes them feel part of the class & also reminds them that you can see them & know what they are doing, etc.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Maintaining eye contact with my students helps me keep them engaged. I have had to work on this especially with the students in the back of the room. Students who sit near the rear of the classroom usually do so because they do not want to be singled out. Unfortunately they end up not absorbing the lesson. Working to maintain eye contact draws them back in.
I believe eye contact with students is very important. It lets the student know that you areinvested in their education and want them to do well. It also keeps the student involved in the lecture because they feel like you are speaking directly to them.
Eye contact kepts the students engaged. When asking a question a teacher can gadge the students understanding by whether he or she looks away during the eye contact you have made.
Eye contact in the classroom creates an air of respect for both the instructor and the student. The instructor is acknowledging the students by maintaining eye contact and showing them that he is truly trying to make sure that they all feel that they are a part of the class. This in turn shows the students that the instructor is prepared and ready to share their knowledge and experience without looking at a book or the board the whole time. This generates a respect for the instructor and helps the students to follow and learn from an instructor that they see as knowledgable.
JOE,
yes, the old adage "the eyes are the window to the soul" is very true. And as you point out the eyes can be a great way to check in with students & see if they are fully understanding & fully engaged with the content.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I believe eye contact is very important in a cense that one can sometimes be able to tell if a student is actualy absorbing anything that he is being told or shown . expressions are helpfull in that just by observing a student during eye contact he might other wise verbaly tell you a contradiction in his words and thus you fall short of your goal and that is to teach the student fully.
Carolyn,
the eye contact really is a great way to establish that important connection with the students.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Having eye contact with students help to engage the student and show that you care about them being there.
