Teaching can often be exhausting and at times feel unsatisfying. It takes many hours to prepare for the classroom and you need to have great enthusiasm in the classroom. Furthermore, the student's do not always show apperciation because it's not the "cool" thing to do. Therefore, its vital to REFOCUS, when we feel down in order to provide the best instruction.
In some situations you have to refocus to insure that your student grasp what it is you are teaching. It is good to have different stragegies on teaching a lesson because you have to know the way in which your students learn every student learn different.
Martha,
Well said and an important factor to consider as we move through our teaching careers. We need to stop long enough to enjoy our teaching and keep our enthusiasm for our field.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
One reason that we need to take some time to refocus is that when the stresses of living become intense for us, it is easy to lose focus on the content of the lesson or on the students. For example, when people are ill or are hurting they are most likely not able to respond or be as concerned about the needs of others. What we see in our students is also true of us.
All instructors get in a rythm with things. Just like a student that starts to lose focus, instructors do to. When an instructor loses focus, the student isn't far behind (or already there). If the instructor refocuses he/she will stay on top of the game and the student will follow.
Usually all instructors need to REFOCUS at some point just to re-group and focus on why you signed up for this job. Sometimes this is just good to do so that you get new ideas as an instructor.
Because the bore even themselves. They have been saying the same thing over and over that they have lost enthusium for the course material. Some new material and change up teaching style will help to rejuvinate them.
Adult learners have an attention span of 10 to 15 minutes. With that fact in hand there is the opportunity to self correct every 10 or 15 minutes also. So, if things seem muddy or unfocused being aware of the 10-15 minute rule there are at least 4-6 times during the hour to self correct, refocus, and go again. This is only possible if, as the instructor, I'm aware on an ongoing basis of how my students are learning and reacting to course content.
In the process of presenting information to a class, it can become frustrating as some students don't appear to get the information for whatever reason, (usually multiple). As different delivery methods fail you can begin to loose focus on the topic as well as start to experience confusion and frustration as you focus more on the individuals problems.
It is at these times you as an instructor need to step back, take a break, take a deep breath, assess where you are and then determine where you are going. At times you may be so close to success that you could not see it right in front of you. At other times that short break may be what you needed to refocus your attention in a different direction to achieve success.
Because we're human! Whether it's just life, the specific class you're teaching, or some other multitude of reasons, we all need to refocus at times and get grounded on the task at hand. Sometimes with teaching, if you're always teaching the same material you can "coast" a little. If you're coasting, it's time to stop and refocus. I think it'll actually re-vitalize your own experience, and the student's!
Pat,
Good for you. I do the same thing, in fact Monday evening I am introducing a new course segment that I have been planning for some time. I teach the same required foundational course over and over throughout the year so I work hard to bring new concepts, activities and content into the course so I stay excited about it. I can't wait to see how the students are going to react to this new way of teaching a core concept.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
we need to from time to time because it let us know if the student are on the same subject with us as we are moving through the topic
It just gets old after a while, doing the same thing over and over. And this definitely comes through with the students -- they know when you're just phoning it in! You have to step back periodically (I do this every quarter) and review everything and make sure it's current, interesting, and motivational.
Instructors can become "burned out" and need to refocus on why they teach.
By reconnecting with the source of their desire to help others learn, instructors become re-energized and recommitted to their class.
If instructors are "burned out" they will be unable to provide quality instruction to students. They also need to take time out, reaffirm themselves and their ability to teach the course content. REFOCUS can work for anyone if use appropriately.
Being new to teaching, I have not as yet hit a point where I was worn out. However I have been actively looking for new material on the internet to augment what I have been given to present. Having come out of an R&D department we were always looking for new data to aid in what we were doing. I see this section of the course as a good indicater to continue with what I have been doing as well as to watch for burnout or boardom on my part.
After many years of teaching, it is important to recharge your engines in order to complete the race. We owe it to our students to be constantly vigil about our energy in the classroom. If we are stale, our students will notice and stop participating, yet on the other hand, if we are fresh, we will energize the classroom.
Instructors need to REFOCUS because if they don't they can lose focus. Also what works for one class may not work for another class. Instructor need to reevaluate to see what will work best for the students, them, and the course. Also the instructor need sometimes to gain energy or momenium for the rest of the course.
Because the terms are so long, the students are ready for the term to be over. It maybe easy for us to recharge and change our teaching style. I just find it so hard to recharge the students towards the end. All I hear is "I'm ready to get this Final over". They may not even study because they are drained.
Instructors need to refocus to implament new strategies, but also to bring new life to tried and true methods. As a massage therapist we tend to get caught up in new modalities and forget about the building blocks that got us started.
