Because we are all human, and need self re-evaluation, and check-ups to keep us at the top of our game as instructors.
Too often the challenges of the day to day logistics of managing a course can wear you down to the point that it the priority seems to shift from teaching to the mechanics of teaching. When this mindset creeps in it is important to focus on the students, their needs, their achievements and their development in order to maintain the enthusiasm required to keep those students engaged.
to keep up on lastest trends, techniques & information, so not to get stale or teaching out date material
Teaching the same class over and over again we become burnt out so we need to step back and take a minute to refresh. Go over the material and do extra research to add in something new that you put into your lesson plan. I find its interesting to have a guest speaker come in and talk about the material you have already gone over. Someone who is working in the field and uses the material that you are teaching. Even take a class trip.
Jessica ,
Way to go in jazzing up your delivery. Having grandchildren in the Thomas the Train phase I can relate to your statement about the narrator role. We need to be excited about what we are sharing and help our students to see the value of our content in relation to their future careers.
Gary
Because we all get burned out and need a refresh of why we have become teachers and the joy of teaching.
Even through I love my job, there are days i feel like a boring narrativer. Like the narrativer for the thomas the train movies.At times to spice up my lecture I like to do some research and see if any new information is out on a subject. I like to share all of the new info to my students. Or redo my powerpoints.
Teaching, as with any other career, can be monotonous at times no matter how much one enjoys the experience. Each class brings its own set of challenges that can have you questioning why you got into the profession in the first place. While the subject you are teaching might carry the same lesson plan and syllabus, the approach varies from class to class. One can experience “burn out’ depending on the events surrounding the class or the instructor’s life. Taking time out to refocus gives the instructor the opportunity to address each class individually and assess the class’s needs as well as his/or her own.
Please be kind to one another and respect everyone's comments or input, no matter what.
To me teaching should be very dynamic in its approach, I think that your material is always impacted by current or recently current events, and therefore the material should reflect this and that way it will always present a “fresh look†to the students. The students are always going to be impacted by their environment so they will always be exposed to the new developments, outside of class. It will be a good idea for the instructor to have the students share an opinion on what they have observed outside that is relevant to the course. This will always keep the material and the instructor up to date and therefore, make the class more relevant.
Apparently this is why we should stay focused. I don't know where to begin with the spelling and grammar errors in this posting.
Times change. The slang from the 50's is no longer appropriate, daddy-o.
The best thing to do is keep current in your reading. You will find everyday some article or news story to use in class.
As instructors we often teach the same course over and over again, which can be repetitive. One of way to recharge is recharge your current event materials in the course. When you, as the instructor, are making the course fresh and current, it is more difficult to get bored. When the instructor is bored, the class is bored.
Everybody at some time will get burned out doing whatever it is you love to do by doing it day in and day out. What I like to do is go back to the root of what it is that excites me about the material, maybe research out newer material, or older material for your class that will help generate that spark for what it is that you do.
Students can help keep the subject fresh. Their comments can help some students to remember facts through humor or personal antedote.
Because we as instructors can get so caught up in just present information and have students recite what they have learned. We sometime become relaxed in our presentations, explanations, and in the class structure.
Change is good. Sometimes we can get stuck and the redundance of say same class taught over and over can make you loose the excitement. Refocusing helps to change it up and to get motivated again.
Hi Othello,
Good point about the human factor within us all. We do need to refresh ourselves and make sure we have excitement and energy when we enter the classroom each day.
Gary
Although we are professionals, we are no less human. We require freshment as our students. Otherwise, we are doing a disservice.
Hi Andrew,
You make a very good point concerning how we need to stay current in our field and be excited about the content we teach. If we don't bring enthusiasm to the classroom it is for sure the students won't.
Gary
