This allows the instructor to re-evaluate the process, successes and failures both, and redirect the class towards the established objectives.
It is a systematic seven step self-appraisal analysis that can enlighten and create stimuli to address your status as well as the class in one fell swoop minus the pressure of a third-party inquiry, and yet just as valid.
I think that it is important that we refocus often so that we can be the best instructors possible. Sometimes after teaching the same material over and over we can easily get into a routine. If you keep your lesson plan exactly the same rather than switch it up every so often you will be bored and inevitably that will show. To keep both your students and yourself more interested in the subject, you must keep up with new information and current industry trends. Anytime you learn something new, you share your excitement with the class. This will help your students to recognize (and hopefully inherit) some of your passion for the subject at hand.
REFOCUSing ourselves helps the students to refocus as well. Checking on our strengths and weaknesses, evaluating our lectures, reminding ourselves to check-in with the student,enforcing the positive aspects of what they have learned, as well as reminding them of their successes, and helping the student to realize that they are not failures at all will help the instructor and the student that they are, in conjunction, on the same path to reaching the goals and learning the objectives of the course.
It shows them that you understand how difficult it can be sometimes to be a student, and that you care enough to take an interesting approach to learning.
I think it's important to REFOCUS to make sure you don't just get into a routine and loose sight of how effective or uneffective your teaching style may become as you slowly become on auto pilot after teaching the same subject a number of times. It's easy to loose sight of how your teaching is actually affecting the students, how much they are learning and what their reactions are
Hi Kevin,
Great attitude about being an instructor. You see the opportunity you have to help individuals achieve their goals and leave a legacy. Keep up your great work.
Gary
We must show students our enthusiasm and make them feel that they are the most important thing in our professional lives.
It's often said that when it comes to teaching you never stop developing as an instructor. However, we're all human and there are times we get tired or just plain forget about this opportunity and obligation. I've spent enough time in industry to say that there is nothing more refreshing than being able to meet hundreds of new people in classes every 12 to 16 weeks. REFOCUS is a great way to bring a structured or systematic way of "getting back on the horse" as we ride through from mid-terms to the final examination period. As instructors, we really sometimes really don't realize how very fortunate we are.
This is a perfect opportunity to evaluate the class and teaching methodologies at the same time. Then prioritizing the next level of achievement for the class and instructors to energize both. This is an effective tool to help learners achieve their individual goals.
Hi Luke,
Good point. We have to keep our excitement up so our students will keep engaged. Though at times it is hard it needs to be done for our field and our students.
Gary
I apply some of the techniques as discussed - allowing notecards and reference on key subjects and getting stuidents interactive with role playing and scenarios
In my environment of teaching it is all too easy to get into the 'rut' and fall victim to the general malaise that is repeating yourself every class. The REFOCUS strategy is an important tool to step back to say, and reflect on the delivery of the information. I am guilty of being unenthusiastic at times about my class, but it is very important to deliver the students their due education in an interesting and interested way. REFOCUS categorizes this into easy and manageable steps.
Teaching, no matter how strong a teacher is, takes energy. Especially if you have a class that is diverse in culture and background. So, it is important for us to be able to step back clear the "white noise" and recapture the excitement that brought the student to school in the first place.
Hi Dianne,
I commend you for your effort. A new start every three weeks takes a lot out of a person. By focusing your energy you are able to do so and I know your students benefit from your efforts.
Gary
Dr. Meers
To help my students develop into successful learners and get them ready for the industry I have to REFOCUS often. I have a class of different students every 3 weeks. I have to check myself every 3 weeks to make sure I am excited, enthused, dedicated for teaching at my highest level. I have to create a rapport quickly to get that trust and mutual respect so they can retain and use what they are learning.
Personnaly for me, with shorter classes and doing the exact same thing over and over again, I begin to wonder if I am teaching the correct message. By taking time to reevaluate my class and its subjects, I bring more of the "current issues" back into the class. It would be like expecting a piece of fruit to remain pristine over time...and as we all know, if you fail to keep it fresh and updated (purchashing new), it will become rotten... your class will do the same.
Hi Vicki,
Good comments. The key is to stay fresh when the newness has worn off and the reality of class, plus life pressures have set in. This is when we need to refresh ourselves, pause a bit, have a little fun and then get right back into completing the course with vigor.
Gary
Because we all get 'burnout' at times. I think this concept is a great idea.
I can see using the 'snapshot' idea at the end of every week to not only remind students of what they learned or what skills they acquired that week to encourage them; but to also remind them of how this will help position them in the industry. It also would remind me of what was accomplished in the week.
I think reevaluating where you are in the middle of the class term is very important and would give you more energy to approach the remainder of class.
It is easy to get in a rut when you teach the same course over and over. It's important to remember why we do what we do and to feel good about our capabilities as instructors.
