I have taught module 1 for 20 for years our curriculum is a constant up date, it a living breathing document to keep up with the ever changing ideas
I think that first 5 minutes can be a good thing. People like to talk about themselves. Having them talk about what they did over the weekend can stimulate their mental workings. This little exercise can in fact wake them up.
Hi Jeffrey,
This little opening exercise is a good one to get the new week off to a good start. It is tough to just jump in after a weekend. By letting the students warm up a bit to being back in class you will have them engaged at a higher level.
Gary
Hi Marshall,
You make a number of good points about how to keep your content and attitude fresh. The key is to remember why you are there and who you are there for. This will help to keep those 6:30am classes worth each time.
Gary
On Mondays or after a long weekend, I like to have 5 minutes of open class discussion on anything interesting that anyone did over the weekend, just to get that leftover energy and "fogginess" out of the way. After that, I like to Refocus the classes attention on the subject matter for the day and the rest of the week.
Hi Nancy,
Good example of how we need to be motivating and excited instructors. We need to see ourselves in the hosting role each time we step in the classroom. We can ask ourselves the question "is everyone engaged and talking with others while enjoying themselves at the party?" This is why planning is so critical in the process instruction.
Gary
I find that after teaching a course for a while it becomes very easy to become bored with the content. My own delivery as well as the enthusiasm I display in delivery can go downhill. I have to take an objective view of what and how I deliver the material, do a self evaluation then make adjustments.
Teaching a class that starts at 6:30 A.M. can be very difficult and by mid semester I have to re-evaluate and redefine my teaching delivery to insure students stay interested in class.
I like the idea of 3x5 file cards asking the students to share a "personally significant learning experience". I will consider using this exercise and after reviewing the responses, maybe even make adjustments to the course next time around.
Throughout my undergrad Education classes, our motto was "reflective practitioner." When charting a new path, it is impossible to determine where we are going until we first understand where we have been. One thing I've learned about instructing is, there are always ways to do it "better." Even if everything seems to be going well, reflection will serve to keep things fresh and current. Unburdening the negative and focusing on the positive, while retaining sight of our ultimate goal, is always a good thing. I HATE being bored in the classroom, and I'm the instructor. I can only imagine how my students must feel!
To me, being a good instructor is like being a good hostess. If the hostess of the party had a good time, you can be pretty certain the party was a success. Stopping to refocus on, and recommit to, our students shows respect not only for them, but for the goals they are trying to reach - the goals we have committed to help facilitate.
Hi Lori,
Good point. By stopping and reflecting on progress made an instructor can get fired up to get back into the game and complete the course phase. It is fun to be excited about what you are doing and sharing it with others, in this case learners that will use what you are sharing in creating a future for themselves.
Gary
Hi Karyn,
This is what makes teaching so much fun. We get to learn and have fun while developing additional skills sets as teachers.
Gary
I think it's easy to get discouraged and lose enthusiasm both for teaching and the coursework. I find that I can sometimes get so focused on helping the one or two students that are really struggling, that I forget to focus on the class as a whole. It's a great reminder to re-assess the class, realize that the students are learning a lot of the material, and focus on what's left of the class so that it can continue to be meaningful to students.
Hi Joslynn,
You make a great point about the need to refocus at times. It seems we instructors are doing more and more non-direct instruction work to the point where we forget why we are in the classroom in the first place.
What are some things you do to help you refocus.
Gary
At our school certain classes don't come up as often so it is easy put off practicing a certain skill set until a particular class comes around again and you end up with it on your schedule. It then is so exciting to pick up and refresh your muscle memory. It's great!
An instructor needs to refocus on a daily basis so as to make the learning enviroment exciting and refreshing for the both the instructor and the students, failing in doing this will cause the lesson plans to be very mundane and the students will no accomplish their goals.
It's important to first refocus yourself, as the leader of a class, so that the others, ie, students, can follow your example and be infected with your enthusiasm.
Some times days get so crazy with tasks that really have nothing to do with the subject at hand, ie. tracking down missing students, personal issues of the students. So when it come to refocusing my self I have to take a step back and remember why I'm really here. Then my students get the chance to really learn from me. When the outside crazieness is too involved in my classroom it affects the way I teach.
Hi Hanna,
Good comments on the need to refocus. What are some things you do to keep yourself fresh and motivated?
Gary
At times the day to day activities involve the instructor so that the teaching becomes routine. At that time (usually towards the middle of the session), the instructor should "Refocus" to more effecively interact with the students.
Hi Mary,
This is why instructors need to keep on their toes and read the class for those external factors that can be distracting for the students. By making some changes the instructors can then recapture the students and move forward with the course.
Gary
Hi David,
You are right about burnout. We lose most of our teachers around the 7-8th year of teaching as a result of them not refocusing themselves earlier. They get to the point that they can't recapture the reason they entered teaching in the first place so they leave.
Gary
