Student Needs
The hardest part to figure out in a 3 week session is a student's needs. Not only do you have to figure out what learning style they have, or what learning or other disabilities they may have, or what past experiance they may have that pertains to the course of study. Now we put in there a student's needs, this can be the pass or failure of this student in the course or possibly their future. If we as teachers can not find out what each and everyone of our students needs are, then we can't do our job to teach the material. Everyone relates to something and we have to find that idea or revalant material to tie our learning objectives to so that the student can relate to our message and grow in our and their course. The courses we teach are as much the students as ours as teachers. Students choose their course of study and want to learn it as well as they can. We as instructors have lived our courses and want to teach it as well as we can. So for this to work we need to know how to tie this to the students needs.
Hi James,
Good plan. This way you can relax and enjoy your students and teaching because you know where you are going and what is going to happen when you get there.
Gary
I like to go into to my courses with a main objective, goal or mission statement to create a clear vision of what I want my students to accomplish.
I usually will speak to the previous instructors to get a feel for my new students. Also this allows for me to prepare for any special needs a student might have.
Hi Niani,
This is so important and so true. This vision helps you with your instructional strategies.
Gary
Yes, in an excellerated program it is difficult to address the needs of a diversified classroom. Instructors presenting themselves as coaches/mentors and impressing on their students that they are responsible for their own success is helpful. Create an enviornment of teamwork and inlist the help of others in the classroom to help eachother.
I think it you go into to your courses with a goal or mission statement you have a clear vision of what you want to do.
Doing a variety of activities during the first several days of class allows instructors to quickly pick up on some of the learning styles in the class. Then it is necessary to adapt to that class's particular style.
You have that right my courses is 4 weeks. It is very hard.
Hi Mark,
You are so right on this need for students. The hard part as you mention is getting up to speed quickly since you only have them for three weeks. If you can do an ice breaker the first day that will give you some information about where they are coming from you may be able to get a handle on their needs. I do an introduction exercise and by the time it is completed I have a pretty good idea where my students are coming from and how I can support them. For the rest of the course time I try to listen carefully each day to see how they are progressing and how I can be of help.
Gary
