Hi Gary
I think refocus is apply not only to the student but also to the teacher, sometime experienced background teacher have the tendency to give to mush information and need to refocus himself on what they supposed to teach and keep the class in track of the education
Eric
Over the course of the quarter, instructors can fall into patterns and rhythms. When the material is routine and methodical to you, it will come across that way to the students. Instructors need to refocus to maintain energy and enthusiasm.
The instructor needs to get excited about what they are doing again. When they start the class they are excited and have great expectations for the course. As the course proceeds some of those excited feelings may wane. Therefore, instructors need step back and refocus their attention on what they are teaching and to whom they are teaching. Do they need to reassess their teaching style at this point to be more affective? Are they reaching all the students and motivating them to learn? These are things each instructor should ask themselves midterm along with giving grades.
I think taking time to refocus is important because it can become easy to fall into a rut of simply repeating the same activities in the same ways one quarter/semester after another. I know I have caught myself doing this from time to time, rather than actively engaging in thinking about, refocusing, and redirecting my delivery.
It also can become easy an instructor to lose sight of the importance of your job, particularly when faced with a class that seems short on enthusiasm, effort, or interest in the subject. Refocusing can aid in reminding us as instructors why we do what we do and that we can always make changes to make ourselves and our methods more effective.
Instructors have to avoid getting into the routine of things and losing focus on what the main objective to teaching is, learning. REFOCUS allows for an instructor to be a better teacher, thus allowing for better student retention.
To better present course materials. To clarify and define goals. to enhance the learning objectives.
It is so easy to get into a rut. Taking the time to refocus allows instructors (and students)to gather the information to see where they are at in the course. It also allows us to see where we are or should be going.
For me, it all points to my own enthusiasm - which, as the module shows, eventually affects everything else in the educational chain. I can try to focus on student retention or other aspects of that chain, but for me, my own enthusiasm is most likely to become that weakest link - so that's what I keep "refocus"ing on most often.
I have noticed that each class, in each term can take on a particular personality. Some classes are serious, some have a sense of humor, some are "corner-cutters" etc...Using REFOCUS I can remind myself that I need to adapt to the class and use the teaching style/method that will best communicate the objectives to the students.
We need to reflect. The unexamined life... What's working? What's not? Are we on track with where we wanted to be? Were our initial goals appropriate? What adjustments do we need to make? We started the quarter with generic expectations of our students. Now that we've developed rapport with a specific group of students, how can we best proceed? What supports them? What additional motivations do we need to implement? And how can we support ourselves given our time pressures and personal commitments. Answering these questions can help us be more effective with the remaining time available to us and the students.
Hi Dave,
You do have a heavy schedule. As you say it can take a lot out of you. By knowing this and planning for some variety along the way you can continue to bring your A game to the class each time it meets. I respect your professional approach to remaining excited and fresh about teaching and your field.
Gary
It is easy to get burned out teaching at a career college. I teach year-around, for example, and it can become a grind teaching 12 weeks on and 1 week off. So it is pretty common by mid-quarter to lack the excitement and enthusiasm that I had at the beginning of the quarter. So REFOCUS is a nice way to self-evaluate how a class culture is and if it can be improved.
Since I am aware of this slump, I actually create my syllabus with this in mind and have some alternative exercises, projects, or field trips already schedule to try and avoid the slump.
It is easy especially when you are teaching the same class every semester. Technology is the key - there is so much that can be incorporated into any class now. Technology really can make every class different and engaging especially with the younger more traditional students.
Hi Ted,
What have you found to be the most effective methods of helping you to remember why you entered teaching in the first place?
Gary
When instructors lose track of why it is they chose to become instructors in the first place their ability to connect with students suffers. At this time its important to step back and find again what it was that made you want to teach in the first place.
I think it is also easy to fall into a rut with our lectures and presentations. It is important to keep up with our fields and the latest that is going on in them as well as technology that we can incorporate into our classes to improve them.
Hi Issac,
Good point. It is tough to observe. When we get fired up about our field we want others to do so as well. When this doesn't happen it is hard. I always feel sad when I have to deliver such news to students and find that it really doesn't make any difference to them or their attitudes.
Gary
HI Jeff,
What are some ways you have used to kick start your enthusiasm?
Gary
Towards the middle of the term, instructors can become unmotivated. Not to allow the students to feed off of this behavior and become unmotivated themselves, the instructor must REFOCUS, so they continue to help the students to be successful.
It's easy to get caught up in following one's original plan for a term, but an instructor should step back and re-evaluate to make certain the teaching/learning is on track and that teaching methods continue to motivate. Refocusing gives both the instructor and the class a "shot in the arm" to revitalize the learning environment.
