Understanding Student Characterisitics
I feel it is important to know where your students came from and where they have been. They feed off information through personal expierence that will help shape the cirriculum you are trying to teach. This valuable information can be used to help solidfy the principals you are trying to convey. The students must have the opportunity to share this expierence in the classroom. With this added insight, the core of the class with feel more confident in their abilities to learn thr material.
Rob,
How do you get the information from your students? Thanks for sharing with us.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Knowing a little about a students background can help us start a dalogue they can relate with
Getting to know and understand the different characteristics of each student, to me, is probably one of my biggest challenges. Something new I have started in my classroom, is to pass out index cards and ask them to provide me with some "getting to know you" information. And, after our initial welcome and overview of the syllabus, I open the floor for sharing their experiences as it may relate to the course. You can visibly see the "I feel valued" expression, which helps break the ice for everyone.
Hi Steven!
I totally agree with you. When students have the opportunity to share personal life experiences in the classroom, they feel valued. It is also a great way for Instructors to lern about their students and about their background.
Hi Andrea,
Good plan for "reading" your students and relating to their life experiences and what they bring to the class. You are right about how the interactions the students have build on relationships that will be maintained throughout their careers.
Gary
As someone who is new to adult instruction, I have found this to be very true in my classroom. I asked each student to tell me where they came from (education and professinal background) and where they intend to take their degrees on the first night of class. That information has helped me to choose topics for group discussion that are meaningful to the students and enrich the curriculum they are required to learn.
I have seen friendships and peer relationships start to grow from doing these break-out sessions and the students all respond really well to them.
