Focusing on Students
Students are similar to a blank slate. What the instructor writes on the "slate" is essential to the learning, interest, and enthusiasm the instructor can generate in the student for the course he or she is taking. The student's motivation comes from within, while the instructor acts as a catalyst, generating further interest in the information, and the student's progress.
Deanna,
Sharing career experiences with students helps to increase the value of the content being covered. Students like to hear stories from their instructors because these stories validate why the course is important.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Students also can tell if you don't have career experience in the field of what you teach before becoming an instructor. If you stay working in one
area too long you have to teach about that area. Otherwise,it becomes harder to tell stories that help students connect to what they are learning. Teaching in your area of expertise is smarter.
Brenda,
Instructor stories help students to see the value of the content being offered. In addition, they get to hear the human side of their career area through the stories and examples that their instructors share. Keep sharing them.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Students have told me that they enjoy the class when their teacher shares his/her own professional experiences and stories with them. It helps them to explore how their own personalities and experiences may fit into this new career path.
I focus on my students by learning what they already know and building onto that. I relate stories of my experiences to whatever we are learning at the time. I feel this helps my students see a better picture of how it applies to caring for the patient. It also role models for the student how one would act in certain situations. I create an atomosphere where everyone's input and experiences count in the learning process as we all learn from each other.
I have actually held many jobs/positions in my life thus far and gained a substantial amount of knowledge in various areas of the work field as well as life. I feel that I always have an interesting story that fits into a daily learning concept. I also encourage my students to share their experiences too! Finding commalities in both education and experience promotes an open learning environment and encourages a healthy journey to graduation.
Regards,
Amber Cochran
Paula,
Earning the respect of students is important and one of the ways of doing that is through the sharing of knowledge that comes with the many life and career experiences you have as an instructor. Students sometimes think their instructors live only in the classroom and do nor have not had any life experiences prior to becoming instructors.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I think it is important to show your students that you are an expert in your field. This assists in motivation of students, causing some to set goals of soon becoming experts in the field as well, and possibly even educators. Success is certianly determined by the individual, but the instructor has a role in engaging and motivating the learner.
