Motivation techniques...
Using real jobs from local shops in my class has really helped. When a student successfully compleats them they have confidence they will be able to proform in the field.
Terry,
I hear you about them getting sleepy toward the end of class. I teach from 4 until 10 pm so I am challenged with this in every class. Getting them moving and applying their knowledge in a lab is a good way to capture their attention and focus.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
As an Instructor for an evening class, I often have students that get drowsy towards the end of class. I have found that this is a great time for my hands-on labs. It gives them something to look forward to , and it keeps them excited (and awake).
Tom,
You are letting the students grow from their efforts. Each time they redo an assignment they are expanding their knowledge.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Giving the students the opportunity to improve upon their assignments. I allow each homework assignment to be done up to five times, recoding the best score possible. It becomes a personal challenge to the students (kinda like beating a trivia game) and it reinforces their study habits in preparing for exams.
Julia,
I think this is a great exercise because it shows students their potential. I know this really motivates them as they seek these jobs and then write about them. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I have a homework assignment that consists of having the student find 4 job openings -- 2 that they are qualified for now, and 2 "dream" jobs. They have to write a paragraph about what it would take for them to be qualified for their dream job(s), including the timeline, and how they would set about getting the experience they need. They see that there are jobs out there they can get right now with what they've learned so far, and they also see what it would take to get them where they want to be.
Hi Anita,
I use guest speakers and field trips with my students as well. I like to have recent graduates come in because the students see them as peers and can relate to what they are saying. It is funny because the guest speakers say the same things I say but the students listen to them better because they are out in the field working at what they are training to enter. They don't stop to realize that I made my living for many years doing the same thing and chose to move into to education and say my knowledge with them. Kinds like listening to your parents when you are a teenage. What could they possibility know?
This is what makes teaching so much fun.
Gary
Bringing in real-world examples of success and failure in the field through guest speakers, personal anecdotes and cases can inspire students to follow good models. Instructors can also motivate students by being successful in the field themselves and share their methods. It is also important for instructors to whenever possible to reinforce with positive feedback those behaviors and techniques that will make the students' future clientele happy.
As I teach in the criminal justice area, I have found that analyzing current events are a good way to motivate the students. I, or sometimes even the students, will bring up a current events topic. I will then require the students to analyze the event from the prospective of police, prosecutors, and public defenders. This has worked as a great motivational tool and seems to get the students excited about learning. The students have an opportunity to apply what they have learned. Which, I believe, motivates them to continue learning and builds their self confidence?
Hello Shamoon,
That is a great idea which I use in my class as an ice breaker. A joke sets the tone for a more relaxed class. I never thought about adding one in about halfway through class. Good suggestion!
Joan
One of the best methods of instruction is hands-on. Not only does it give the students an opportunity to apply the techniques currently being discussed, but they receive an immediate reward and satisfaction in a successful attempt at completing in a hands-on project.
Simulation exercises can be very effective teaching strategies. The causes of the student to relate to real life circumstances and through the use of simulations are case studies, they can relate to material that was presented in lecture. It is often very interesting to hear and see some of the information being applied immediately at the conclusion of the class. As an instructor, you will leave the classroom with a good feeling if you have used a goods successful simulation exercise. The creation of your simulation exercises though certainly must be germane to the topic material and at the level of the entire classroom. If this scenario is too difficult or hard to understand many students could have very easily become frustrated and unhappy with the use of this technique.
I provide motivational slides that have illustrations and food for thought, I incorporate humor or a joke halfway through the lesson as a quick mental break, and always use a positive and engaging tone.
to motivate the students ,i always have a positive way,if they did poorly on a task,i try to do it again with them,as they do better on the second one,they can see andhappiness appear on their face like they accomplish something the right way and they build confidence
Hi Alexis,
As you mentioned your field is changing all the time. What has been one of the most impacting form of change that has occurred recently in the field of Culinary Arts? How has this changed what you are doing in your classes and students in relation to their preparation?
Gary
Hi Erik,
You make several very good points about feedback and motivation. By providing comments on how the students did with their writing assignments you are giving them experienced consulting that they would not get in life outside of school. This is very valuable help you are providing and for many students it is appreciated. That is why those that just throw the assignments together deserve the feedback they receive.
Gary
Hi Thomas,
What are some examples you use tie-in the material for your students? How do you help them to see how the material will benefit their growth and development as they move toward their career choice?
Gary
Hi Carol,
Thanks for sharing this example of how a student was helped through the efforts of a teacher and you. I can't get enough of these kinds of stories. Think how great this student felt when she left the library knowing what she knows about the resources that will benefit her studies.
Gary
Hi Steven,
This is a great way to involve students. Adult learners as you know like to have a voice in their learning and by choosing what they are going to read or an assignment they will complete they are doing so. This helps to keep them invested in their education.
Gary
