Robert,
Great response, I agree it is important to make adjustments to the course and our attitudes. We should strive to be a better instructor. We often ask our students to improve on their work so I feel we should do the same in our course. I think you are right we are human we fall on our habits and these courses help readjust our teaching processes they are reminders for use in improving our class participation.
Thanks,
Nick
Great point Tracey,
I think it’s good to have another person's point of view on improvements in the course to an extent. I have the hardest time taking criticism from others. I feel so bad about that as I know I need the improvement, but at the same time when people coach you on the course you are teaching sometimes they focus too much on the negative rather than the positive. So from this I have learned how important it is to offer good advice and good remarks to students as well as negative. I learned the sandwich effect is the best so I use two good remarks with a bad one in between.
Thanks,
Nick Bergan
Dr. Meers,
Great question about Refocus, is great for instructors. I think that if your learners are expected to apply new concepts and theories than teachers should be doing the same. I know I forget my way sometimes and I think training keeps me on my toes and make me aware of the items I need to incorporate in the classroom. I find it’s important to refresh your course and your mind. I want to be a great instructor, I want students to be happy they took my course and walk away with the feeling they learned information they can apply so Refocus is essential to me as an instructor.
Burnout. It is really easy for an instructor to get burnedout. Your lack of enthusiasm will show the students will pick up on it.
To stay alert and motivated
As instructors that teach the same subject over and over, we can become too comfortable or board of the material we are presenting. I've been teaching the same subject now for three years and I try different methods to deliver the information keeping it fun at the same time. Student also talk to each other and some former student might give away my game plan. So just when they think I'm going in one direction something new is added.Keeping the energy level up and showing enthusiasm I get more buy in and keeps the class moving.
Adjustments are needed from time to time.
teachers have to reflect and evaluate the process and redirect teir energies to stay on track and meet the objectives and students expectations.
In short (Focus)
The day to day challenge of managing 70+ students can be draining. Attending seminars, workshops, classes and conversing with peers can have a revitalizing effect, making us more effective.
Instructors sometimes need to refocus themselves so they are current with industry standards and can engage and show students the relevancy of material covered. Professional development goes a long way in helping the instructor to re-focus.
Instructor REFOCUS can be supported through Daily Lesson Plans which we use as a guide when we feel we are off track.
Hi Monica,
I to teach long session classes once a week. I follow this same format so I can keep the students engaged and focused throughout the entire evening. Which at times can be a real challenge.
Gary
If you start to lose sight of why you are doing something, you will become less effictive at what you are doing. You always have to find purpose and meaning in all that you do to give it your best. Learning to refocus why you are doing what you are doing will help keep you motivated to become an effective instructor with a passion about teaching.
Instructors just like students need to "refuel" or "refocus" sometimes especially after the initial euphoria and excitement of having a new class or a new topic has died down.
One way that I have found helps students "refocus" is sharing real life experiences pertaining to the subject at hand and having students participate in the conversation with their real life experiences!
My challenge is not only keeping myself and my students energized through the term but also during the class itself.Classes at my school are held once a week for four and a-half (4 1/2) hours per class. This is a long class for everyone. What I do is break the class into a one hour interactive lecture at the begining of class when they are the most alert, then have a group activity and an individual activity that reinforces the lecture for the remaining time. If students are activly involved their attention spans increase.
It is always helpful to take the time to evaluate the course content to develope different ways to deliver demos and information in my kitchen classes. Many students watch the Food Network and I'll relate a fact that I learned about baking from "Good Eats" to let them know I am always learning and picking up points.
Hi Creighton,
Great way to capture the essence of how to keep yourself and the material alive and fresh. By doing so you are going to engage your students more in the learning process with a much higher retention rate.
Gary
R- Relax- often times we get caught up with getting the material covered, we loose focus of the real intent
E- Evaluate- what has worked so far, what has not. Request feedback from class
F- Formulate- new styles and methods of presentation
O- Open your mind to unique and unusual styles that may even be outside your own comfort zone: try pantomine, interpretive dance, dramatic reading
C- Continual growth, evaluation, and rework your methods to stay fresh.
Update- Update methods. Stay current with new trends in music/fashion/art- show the students that you care by learning what motivates/ interests them.
S- Succeed- you must first learn to be the student before you can become a successful instructor- know what they experience,they feel, they perceive, they process.
As a chef, I must understand the palate of my customers, and atune my style to meet those needs to be most successful.
Hi Steve,
What are some ways that you generate excitement for the content in your classes?
Gary
Hi Tracy,
Good plan for having a continual professional development plan going. You are looking at the classroom/lab through the eyes of the students so you can target their needs as you progress through the course.
Gary
If the instructor doesn't show a pasion for his subject he/she can lose the class. when thar occurs it can be hard to can the excitment back.
