Deb,
good awareness on this point. Too often we tend to get nervous & speed up if we think the students aren't "getting it" & as a result we often confuse them even more.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Mary,
yes anytime when we can throw some movement into the lecture it helps to keep the students engaged.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I find many of my students respond best to one on one instruction. I noticed that addressing the class as a whole reaches about 90% of the students. 10% either have not understood or were not engaged in the discussion. Therefore that 10% is unprepared for the hands on portion of the class. When you have time to get with this group on individual basis retention is much better. I want to involve the students more when laying out the objectives, with the goal of keeping everyone engaged and interested enough to retain the material and be successful.
I sometimes get nervous when I feel that the students are not "getting" what I am explaining, and have a tendency to talk a little faster and a little louder. I need to focus on consistency in my delivery, and perhaps focusing on the students who seem to "get" me to give me the encouragement to continue.
Maybe it would help if I asked more questions as I went along to help me gauge the understanding of the students. I think more movement around the entire room is helpful as well, because the students see me a part of the learning experience.
I personally think I could move around more when I do lecture as opposed to standing in the front or back of the room and asking more questions during lecture to make sure students are getting the information as I'm teaching it.
Kelsey,
good self-awareness on your part & a good plan to try to prevent it.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I tend to fidget with the power point remote. I need to put it in my pocket between slides.
Michael,
you are right that eye contact is a very powerful way to engage our students in the learning.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Hank,
you are right & I think the key is to make sure we are aware of our students & those who are with us & those who are not.
Dr. Ryan Meers
i wish to improve interspersonal shkills of communicating by varying speech,length of sentences, choice of words body langauage,
that is verbal and non verbal skills as the needs change according to time and people
we come across
I have two communication skills that I personally wish to improve. First of all, I would like to talk slower. I have a tendency to talk fast. Slow it down because some people might perceive a person who talks fast as nervous and unsure. So I would try to pace myself. Secondly, I would like to use more hand gestures. However, I have seen some people who use their hand gestures excessively. Then, it becomes a distraction. I don’t want to be seen as too animated or manufactured. The bottom line is be yourself. Don’t try to be something that you aren’t.
Eye contact. The path to pupils is by making a connection. As a lecturer, one cannot connect to students in the traditional sense thus the best way is through personal and meaningful presentations. Of late I noticed my attention focusing on those students who respond to the lecture vice those who do not. It is these students who I need to focus on early in the lecture through eye contact in order to bring them into the discussion. Additionally, with heighten personal connections may ease any experienced nervousness.
Organizing the deliverly of materials. I teach basic computer classes which tend to fall into the same pattern of delivery every class. Review, present new material in a quick overview, then set the class off to accomplish the step by step instructions in the lesson. I need new stratiegies for exciting the class, which is diverse in the levels of expertise, to get everyone involved at the same level. We are spending too much time on a few students while the rest of the class is "one their own" moving without additional help through the lessons.
Interpersonnel communication skills is something I have always been comfortable with. As a physical therapist I have to be able to communicate with anybody and everybody and feel comfortable doing so. When it comes to the classroom and not the clinic I find myself second guessing my own knowledge-base and sometimes it affects my lectures. I need to work on a bit of self-confidence, so when I present the material and use clinical examples they come out naturally and not so choppy.
It is important to improve/modify your communication skills at all times. Different students receive technical information in different ways. Also it is important to help the student improve his communication skills to better ask/answer questions.
Claudia,
this is important as it gives students the time to respond to questions & to process what we've said.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I think I sometimes feel rushed, and do not take the time to pause between questions and answers, etc. I need to work on that and not worry about whether or not I am going to get all the material in the syllabus covered during the term.
Donte,
yes the eye contact is a powerful way to engage our students in the classroom & the content.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Heather,
tied into slowing down is making sure that you're controlling your nerves as much as possible. Take a deep breath & remember that you are the instructor & yes, slow down.
Dr. Ryan Meers
As an instructor I would like to improve on my nonverbal communication skills as far as making eye contact with students to acknowledge they are a part of the class. Overall I think it is important for the student to feel as part of the class and not get the feeling that they are in it only to fulfill a requirement. I want all my students to feel welcomed and I look to engage them as much as possible.
