A burned out instructor can set goals too low because they underestimate their ability to impart knowledge to their students.
Also, after taking time to "REFOCUS", an instructor can take better stock of the tools they use to motivate their students and can improve on this point.
An inspired and enthusiastic instructor is ALWAYS to most successful at helping students retain information because they are most able to impart to students why the information is worth learning and why the career field is worth entering in the fist place.
I think instructors need time to refocus after each quarter/semester either to prevent being burned out or recovering from being burned out. I also like to have that time to review the course evaluations and make any changes to the course that needs improvement.
Hi Luciano,
Great to hear. You are making a difference in the lives of students and sometimes with the pressures and stresses of the job it is easy to forget that. You have a good attitude about ramping up each day and giving it your best.
Gary
Yes Sometimes it seem like I am not even makeing a diffrents. At that time I look back when I came to school at UTI. It give me a good feeling along the lines of ( I came here and went out in the world and made mine and now I have the chance to give back) So that in it self makes me get up and go.
Like people in other professions, instructors experience burn out and may loose enthusiasm and focus in the classroom. Taking time to refocus ourselves allows us to become more effective with our students as well as seek out new techniques that we have not tried. It also helps us to keep up to date on current trends and best practices in the classroom.
Hi Kim,
Exactly! It is amazing to me how just a little thing can be perceived as being a "surprise" and it creates a "wow" factor for students. It really helps to keep them engaged.
Gary
Thank you for your reply. And I do also agree that if the instructor does not plan the activity well, it may backfire.
Another thought about this is that if we create more "surprise" learning tools, our students will say, "Wow! That was great, can we do more like these?"
Hi Amy,
Well said. This is how you keep fresh and ready to do the very best you can each time you enter the classroom.
Gary
Hi Kim,
It sure can so you have to make sure you have laid the groundwork carefully for using the surprise method. A surprise doesn't always have to be super dramatic. It can be something like "I was just handed this bid sheet for a job. They want us to submit a bid to create a new line of uniforms for a retail store chain using a lot of color." This is a surprise if you will that is based upon real work needs and puts the students in the position of designing and bidding for the work. You put the students into groups to do this work. Hope this is helpful as you work with using surprise as a learning tool. Just something out of the regular routine will serve as a surprise.
Gary
A few reasons come to mind. First I don't want to get into a rut and teaching the same things become a pattern and very routine. I want to remain excited about the material and find new ways of presenting it that meets the needs of my students. Another reason is that each class of students is different. I need to evaluate each group and then determine what is going to work best for each group.
The module described the very real loss of focus that often occurs midway through a course. We all need time to recharge and reevaluate so we can continue to engage students and bring fresh instructional learning. The same old anything will get boring, for both learners and teachers.
I have a question, Dr. Meers, is there a time when the "Surprise" methods can backfire, especially during the "story telling" example?
Hi Cheryl,
Good comments about how to keep the students focused. You are right about students wanting variety and change in the educational flow. These elements all serve to help the students to be engaged in their career development.
Gary
Instructors need to occasionally take time and “refocus” themselves in order to be more effective with their students because reflection or refocus can allow the instructor to make any needed modifications to the learning environment. If some students are falling behind or some learning activities are becoming “tired,” the instructor can introduce new ways of learning and new types of activities that may motivate the students. Even if everything is going great, taking time to refocus is a good idea. Often adding an element of surprise or engaging students in more active involvement in activities with real world application can increase the level of learning in the course.
Hi Don,
Well said. You are working within a very short time line of 3 weeks so to keep refocused requires real dedication on your part. I commend you for your professionalism. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Hi Laurie,
You method of keeping student focused is key to you professional development. It comes through clearly with your statements of about putting yourself in the shoes of your students. This helps to keep you offering instruction that relevant and applicable to the lives of the students.
Gary
With all the other responsibilities we have in the industry I am in, I find that I have to refocus or redirect my attention every time I am in a 3 week class. It becomes difficult to keep the students best interest in mind when I allow the other aspects of keeping my labs in order, my other instructors focused, and all the other functions of my job balanced. When I have a class, refocusing on the students best interest and education is what I keep top priority for the length of the course.
Instructors need to stay focused on their objectives of the course. The focus should be on the students and not just themself. An instructor should always put the student first and not think of what they need to do to just get through a course. If I feel overwhelmed, then I think about how the student must feel. Putting myself in the shoes of the student helps me stay forcused on what I want to accomplish in each course that I teach. Being organized helps keep me focused on the subject.
Hi Matthew,
Good point about how to keep fresh in your teaching. It is real easy to fall into the rut of doing the same thing over and over. By adding different things like those you mentioned you can remain fresh and excited about teaching the same course.
Gary
I think the more you teach a specific course, the more it becomes repetitive in nature, and boring to teach. Sometimes something as simple as introducing information in a different order, or using Powerpoint to help illustrate as well as inform, or by going on-line to Puzzlemaker.com and putting that same information into a different more challenging format will stimulate the students and instructor. Seeing that same information presented differently can help refocus us as instructors. Many times, while re-arranging the presentation for the day, you will find yourself coming across points that you may have forgotten to mention when you got bored with the old format.
