I try to get the students discussing the task and the similarities and/or differences from other classes or tasks in the school that have similar curriculum. I try to guide their participation to bring the subject back to what we are doing and/or where we are going with our curriculum. This usually keeps the students engaged.
Wendi,
Student like change of pace and variety in their instructional delivery. You are doing both with this approach. Keep up the good work as you share your knowledge and expertise with your students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I like to lecture for a short time then do an activity to help students connect with the concept. Sometimes a long lecture will cause students to zone out.
John,
Good two way exchange of information to help move the course forward and keep everyone engaged in the learning process. Stories and examples of life experiences help to increase the value of the course content because the students can see both the relevance and application of the content as a result of these stories.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I tend to tell stories of personal experience in the classroom. After a few days, once the students are acclimated to my style of teaching and I am likewise accustomed to their style of learning, I will ask for pertinent stories from the students. I know I have been successful when a student raises their hand to share a story unprovoked that relates to the days lesson.
Brian,
Good way to get your students involved in the discussion while keeping the course on track and moving it forward for the students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I encourage an open discussion forum during lectures to promote student participation. I do my best to bring each question back into the main lecture topic. This tends to keep the students engaged.
Yes the attention span of our learners is limited. It is vital that others be included.
I agree. I feel if the lectures become too long and drawn out then you lose the focus of the class and the information is not retained.
Agreed it helps a lot, especially with the hands on demos after lecture given.
Ashley,
Student interaction is an essential part of helping students move from being passive learners to active learners. They won't or can't be passive in the workplace so they need to learn how to be active in the classroom as preparation for employment success.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
