Hi Evan,
Right you are. This is when it is fun to be a teacher because you get to be creative to find ways to bring their interest back. I always look for this challenge because that way I don't become bored with teaching the same course over and over.
Gary
Often students who lose focus tend to bring their instructor with them. It's sometimes hard to maintain a positive outlook when the students are seemingly unintereseted.
Sometimes the instructor needs to refocus if he/she has been teaching the same course over and over again, as it may become so "auto-piloted" that you don't feel excited about the class as much as you were when you started. The way I refocus, I change the assignments a bit, I invite guest speaker (which also keeps me up to date with what's going on in the industry), or I invite alumni to share their success stories.
Hi Diane,
Well said! Instructors have to keep the energy level up in the classroom. If they don't then it is going to be a long course. Not to mention how much fun is missed watching the student learn and progress toward their career goals.
Gary
Hi Jennifer,
Right you are about students noticing if you are excited about the course or not. We have to be to be fair to our students. We need to look for ways of challenging ourselves so we remain fresh and ready to teach each day.
Gary
Just as the students can become complacent in the classroom, the intructor may as well. Because the students respond to the instructors enthusiam, it is important that the instructor re commit to the material and the class. Just as the the students require the energy from the instructor, the instructor requires the energy from the students. It benefits both to see how far the students have come and how much they have learned and applied. It helps both parties to realize the importance of their being a part of the class and motivates them to persevere, even when it feels like it is too challenging.
Hi Lisa,
You make a very good point. We need to work even harder with our students to help them see that they have a future. If they are not helped to be forward focused they will spin out and drop and then they have nothing.
Gary
Teaching the same subject to students can be different to them, but we may seem bored or non-motivated. Coming up with new ideas and information can change the tone and excitement factor in your voice. They can tell you love what you teach.
Hi Darrell,
Getting more information about the students also helps with developing rapport. The stronger the relationship the higher the retention rate is going to be because they see you as a person that cares about their success.
Gary
It is dangerously easy in the current socio-economic climate to lose one's enthusiasm. Getting students to create a "tunnel vision" to success in school is key. To do that we have to get over our own fears and personal disappointments to encourage learners to look ahead. We can do that by continuing to stay relevant to our industry and discussing new technologies or by challenging the students to create the new technologies or techniques with us.
i try to get relevant imput from quality students as well as imput from students with challanges, then i can sort of customize the class to fit the needs and wants, as well as do what it required on paper syllabus. but i agree imput it important from your students regaurdless of the marks or type of student, they all learn on differnt levels, so you much teach to those levels for a sucessful class. this is real focus.
Hi Darrell,
Any input that we can get that will help us to expand our instructional skills is important. We need to look for that kind of input especially as you mentioned from former students. That can be great sources of information about course improvement.
Gary
Hi Michelle,
You are right about the need for refocusing at times. A bit of a breather is needed so we can see the progress that has been made and to believe that we can make even more progress.
Gary
simply to get it right, reinvent your self from time to time is great technique. also retrospection is great to self evaluate along with info from the students that took the course.
I think that like anything in life, over time and with comfort, we get a bit complacent. I always have to refocus on whats important, I try to encourage my students to do the same. Family, work, health, diet, exercise, education, we all need to recharge from time to time, the learning environment is no different
Hi Dave,
Well said. Spoken like a true dedicated professional. This is what makes the impact you are having on the lives of your students so important.
Gary
Hi Gregory,
Plus with REFOCUS we get to be creative and try some new things. This is always fun because we aren't for sure how they will work out and that brings a bit of excitement to the classroom which is good for ourselves and our students.
Gary
Refocusing helps to maintain and re-establish your own enthusiasm for the course material.
By the middle of the course, anyone is in danger of falling into a slump that can cause the learning environment to suffer. It is always good for the instructor to REFOCUS in order to get back into the swing of things and not loose the momentum that has been going thus far. If the instructor show signs of withdrawl or loss of interest, it will effect the whole class in no time. I find it good to do a self check every week to keep myself up to par with what is expected of me. this will also give the students a more secure feeling that the postive attitude and energy is a constant within the learning environment created. With this constant reinforcement, the student's learning experience has been given the best environment possible for it to grow.
I think we need to REFOCUS as a system of checks and balances to make sure that we are not stale in the classroom. It causes us to re-think and re-evaluate what worked and what didn't work in instructional methods.
