Instructors need to take time to REFOCUS in order for the instructor to recapture the enthusiasm and also to emphasize on how exciting the new material and knowlwedge that is being shared with the learner is. This I feel is extremely important in keeping our learners motivitated.
Instructors must find time to refocus themselves. Not only for the instructor, but most importantly for the student. Most instructors might have a tendency to "burn-out" at, or close to the end of the course. Many different factors might influence why an instructor may be pretty close to being "burnt-out". Falling into a teaching rut, personal problems might also lower an instructors efficiency in his/her teaching. Although I think that both student and instructor may need refocusing at this point. Bottom line the instructor needs to be recharged, refocused and ready to teach. This will translate into the student also being motivated about getting back into the subject.
Hi Maria,
By REFOCUSING our selves we keep our interest up and are fresh and ready to go the next time we meet the class. It is necessary otherwise our teaching will become routine.
Gary
Hi Al,
Great attitude and reflection on how to keep your focus and REFOCUS when you need to. You have a heavy teaching load with lots of students and yet you are working hard to be on your A game and enjoy your teaching. I admire that.
Gary
Hi Darlene,
I really like your attitude and motivation for doing what you are doing. That is one of the key ingredients of teaching, the willingness to share. Keep on sharing and you will continue to grow.
Gary
It is important to REFOCUS so that you don't get bored doing the same thing day in day out, everything the same each semester/module. If instructors can REFOCUS and come in excited about being in class, so will their students.
Dr. Gary Meers; To REFOCUS means To FOCUS Again also to change the emphasis or direction. When an instructor REFOCUS, they have to look at themself to see if they are getting the imformation to the students. You must look to check your effectiveness in your class room. This means all forms from demeanor, to the way you dress, the way you speak to you students, and are you getting the class attention for all your subjects. I have 5 classes and the number of students is over 120. It is easy to slump into a area where you should not be to be affective in the class room. you must take inventory of your self to stay on top of your game. Al
Hi Alfred,
Congratulations on your dedication to your students and your career area. Your planning I know pays off not only for your students but yourself as well. It does take a lot of work to stay ahead of the students and classes but the end results are well worth. It is what keeps you coming back to the classroom year after year.
Gary
Hi Amanda,
Good idea about the formative evaluations that you are going to do. Often we only evaluate at the end of the course phase and by then it is too late for a course correction if it is needed. This way you know where your students are at and can respond to their needs.
Gary
Creativity, thats whats teaching is all about. You have to be able to reach the students minds."REFOCUS" Helps the teacher come up with the skills to let there creativity out.
Hi Dr. Meers,
I teach because I love to share my knowledge so my students can in return do the same thing someday. I look at my students and realize that many of them may themselves be instructors.
Even if not in a formal classroom, they will be teaching other people their skills they have accomplished in class.
My goal is always "Pay it Forward". In that way, you will always remember that everyday is the first day of the beginning of their new careers. You will want to keep motivated and that motivation will continue through them with your excitement and enthusiasm.
I do a lot of teaching and speaking engagements for free because I want to give back to the world what someone once gave to me. This helps me to REFOCUS everyday and look at my students' progress so I can help them REFOCUS.
Gary; I arrive at the school 1 and 1/2 hours before the class starts. I use this time to perpare for the day. All the papers are graded and homework is ready for the students. Day after day this can slow you down. I try to do inventory every day and I put by game face on and get ready for the students. With the extra work the school wants an instructor to do can add up to deficiency. The one point that I try to reach each day is to keep the students very active in the school work each day. At this time of the year, Thanksgiving, and the Christmas season, is the hardest time to keep your focus, and keep the students active. I have extra work for extra credit and to be sure that the students don't miss any days of school. Al
I believe instructors need to "refocus" due to the students becoming overwhelmed with deadlines approaching, life getting in the way, as well as burnout from other classes being taken. An awesome instructor knows how to recognize signs of discouragement of the students, and apply techniques to enhance motivation to successfully finish the course. I believe in my teaching online, that the students will have several checkpoints that they will need motivation. The idea alone of keeping up week to week without having to be a classroom is difficult, so I am going to set times thoughout the semester to evaluate progression and establish methods of checking in.
Hi Tony,
Right on. That is what will keep us coming back for another course, another phase and another year. REFOCUS and the willingness to improve and expand our abilities as professional educators.
Gary
As in any job or career anyone can fall into a rut. As instructors we must always remember that our job is to associate, communicate and interact with people. To be sucsessful in this field, including teaching, we must be enthusiastic, energetic and express some excitement about what we are doing. When we feel we're losing some of that mo-jo, REFOCUS is just the thing we need to get it back.
Refocusing allowes you to stay on top of your game and give the students what they need to succeede
Hi Stephen,
Well said. We all need to get excited about our work once again when we find that we are not giving it our all. By taking a bit of time and refocusing ourselves back into why we do what we do and look for ways of doing it better we will be much more effective.
Gary
Sometimes we teach the same courses repeatedly. We tend to become stagnant or complacent in our teaching approach. However,an issue that arises is that the students we get change in their learning styles and their personalities. To REFOCUS gives us the ability to recharge ourselves. We need to take some time to evaluate our approach to delivering our course content. We also need the student to recommit to the education process. In order to accomplish this, it has to be a class venture which includes the instructor. The process for REFOCUS to me should accomplish a rejuvination in class.
Sometimes as I get more comfortable with
teaching a subject I can lose touch with
the fact that the students are not as
familiar with it as I am, and I have heard
of other instructors who have done the same
thing. Hearing the same question over and
over the answers can become shorter and
closer to the point without the quetions
back to the students to help them understand
the answers sometimes a yes or no is the
right answer but without the supporting
information the student is mometarily happy
with the answer until the problem occurs
again and they do not have the tools
to handle it. At times like this a class
discussion on a subject to bring
out what the students do and do not understand
can be useful in the process of refocussing
by becoming more familiar with the current
students and what they do and do not understand.
The daily grind of instructing combined with influences from your personal life can cause instruction to become stale and frustrating. This not only impacts your performance in your current class, but can also lead to burnout. Using the steps in the REFOCUS process can positively impact your outlook and revitalize your instructional efforts. Enthusiasm demonstrated on the part of the instructor, even if it has to be fabricated initially, is one of the most important components in improving the quality of instruction and increasing student participation.
