I learn everyday, when we stop learning we're doomed it's a two way street.
When interacting with students it can not be one sided, interest is greater when everyone feels that they have participated and is listen to.
I would start by listening carefully to what they are saying and ask questions if I did not understand any part. Then I would turn it into a class discussion by asking the rest of the class whether they agree or disagree and ask them to say why. If pressed by the class, I would say something like "everyone is entitled to their own opinion" and "mine is not any better than yours".
Hi Jon-Paul,
I like the way you explain your position in the learning sequence. You are the instructor because you do have the experience, education and application but you are also a student and will be one all your life. That is the fun of being an instructor we get paid to keep on learning.
Gary
In our particular field there is always a new variation or a traditional method that I am not aware of. If this new information from the students is embraced, in my experience, a bridge is built. I try to emphasize that the exciting thing about our profession is that we will never know it all, we will never be bored, and that the only difference between the teacher and the student is experience, education and application.
Hi Jeff,
Great point about how to be responsive to a student when he/she is talking or asking a question. The students need to be the focus of the instructor when they are participating in class through discussions and questioning.
Gary
Hi Jill,
Good comments about how to work with students but I really like the way you caution us to suspend judgment until we understand exactly where the student is coming from. This is so important if we are going to provide support to our students.
Gary
I want the students to know that what they have to say is just as important as long as we're all heading in the same direction. My lecture is mostly driven by the input of my students.
Whenever a student askes a question I try and remind myself to stop what I am doing and make eye contact with the student. By doing this the student knows that they have my attention, and I am listening. I also try and never interupt a student as well, this shows them that I care about what they are saying.
I really liked the verbal and nonverbal suggestions offered in this module. Using a student's name when he/she is acknowledged, making eye contact, nodding to show that I'm listening, moving closer to the student, repeating back what the student has said - these are all great strategies to show the students that their opinions are valued. I think the important thing is to suspend judgement. Sometimes students will say something to try to get a reaction from me or the classmates, and I find that by suspending judgement I can help the student to respond more appropriately in the future.
First and foremost, the instructor will show that student opinion is valued by constantly and consistently inviting, in an explicit way, the students to offer those opinions. Showing that the instructor is open to such sharing will go a long way toward the development of a free and open sharing of opinions.
By acknowledging other people's point of view, you show them respect.
First of all, we need to listen to what they have to say. If what they have to say is reasonable or possible we can act on thier opinion.
It is important to listen to the student's opinions and frustrations. Encourage them to keep working even when it gets difficult for them.
During the first class, not only do we have individual introductions of each student, but I also ask them to tell me/the class what they "expect" to learn or get out of the course. This works well and helps me to meet their expectations, as well as reassess the course to stregthen different areas of the course during that term and of course in future classes.
we need to thank the student for there input it always has value we can all learn others and there experances
Hi Marie,
Good comments about how to keep students engaged and contributing to the class. Discussion sessions really help to reinforce key points and expand the knowledge base of students.
Gary
I try to remain as impartial as possible when leading class discussions and providing feedback on assignments, especially the argumentative research paper for my composition classes. When working on the argument essay, I tell students that it doesn’t matter whether or not I agree with their opinion. What matters most is that they provide logical arguments and support their main points with outside source material.
I, also, try to make sure students don't know what my opinion is when we are discussing topics. Instead, I ask them questions about how they came to believe a certain thing. I'll also make sure to find out if anyone has a differing opinion and ask them to share with the class how they came to that opinion.
I think it's important to allow the students to state their ideas and guide them to the point where they are backing up those opinions.
I also set up some ground rules before we begin discussion, so each student understands what's acceptable and what isn't when it comes to questioning someone else's opinion. I'll give them examples of logical arguments versus personal attacks. We'll discuss how to go about rephrasing the information in the example where a personal attack is used so that each party is being understood, and no one feels as though they aren't being heard or that their opinion doesn't matter.
Being a great listener is very helpful to respecting the student opinion. I choose to always keep in mind that every student can and should have their own opinion, even if it differs from your own. Encouragement and value in the discussion is so important. Being able to provide information that backs up their opinion can also validate their learning. I believe that healthy classroom discussions are never a bad thing, and can really reinforce the learning process.
I think that one of the best ways is to include them in a discussion, have them share their thoughts and opinions and reinforce with constructive feedbacks.
