understanding students characteristics
by knowing your students background as an Instructor it gives you an idea how to teach and convey learning to your students.
Mary,
This is a good and supportive way to open up a new class. The introductions help the students to get to know each other and get settled into the course and looking forward to future sessions where they get to learn more about their field.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
The first day of class I have my students give as much information about themselves as they wish to the class. Some times I try to make it fun by playing a game with this or just letting them express who they are. I feel that this not only helps me, but it helps all the other students get a feel for who they are in class with.
Katelyn
Sandra,
I imagine that you get some amazing and interesting information about your students with this writing assignment. The information learned gives you insight as well as ideas for how to approach the students to develop rapport with them.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Karen,
This knowledge can really help with instructional planning as well as the personal interactions that occur. The more we know the more we have to operate with in terms of engaging our students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think that knowing something about a student's background before they came into the classroom setting is essental to helping the student succeed in the classroom. I usually work this into a short writing assignment sometime during the first day/week of class in a course. I try to make the assignment be a self-descriptive situation such as the tried and true "tell me about yourself" in as few words as possible or something similar.
I have found that knowing my students’ background also helps me to understand obstacles to success the student faces. This knowledge helps me to support the student in overcoming these challenges.
I always have the students to discuss personal information so that I can get a better understanding of who they are.
Mark,
How do you get this information? Do they fill out a form, have a discussion, or some other method?
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I try to find out a little bit about the students background in the first class..or first week of class.
