Instructors must relate their subject to the students goal. This should be done on a repeated basis. First, find out what the students goals are, then find ways to relate the subject to what they want to do.
Joshula
Hi Robert,
Quick feedback really helps to keep the students focused on the course. By knowing both the good and needs improvement areas right after a project or quiz the students know how to proceed with their learning efforts.
Gary
Hi Gabriel,
I commend you for your understanding of how learning works when teaching lecture based subjects. They can be dull. I experienced this over and over again as I made my way through the educational system. These subjects don't need to be as evidenced by your forum comments. There are many different activities that can be incorporated into the delivery to keep them from becoming boring. This is the only way that the students are going to be engaged in the learning process. Keep up the good and interesting work.
Gary
I use higher grade point value on my quizs and porjects, and give my students feed back right away on how they did.
The single, most frequent complaint I hear from students is that the instructor is deadly dull. The reason cited is that the class is almost all lecture.
Short lectures with the majority of time devoted to hands-on practice, quick library research, group presentations, computer applications, videos, and the occasional "big-muscle" activity keep classes engaged.
I experimented with some of these strategies when I taught English, refined them when I taught history, and try to ruthlessly apply them in math class.
Hi Howard,
Good point about liking what you are doing. Our students need to be excited about the career training they are receiving. I know some are not but I think this is sad since they well could spend 40 years doing something they don't like. So our excitement as instructors help them to see how they can enjoy their career. If the don't like it like you say they should get into something they do like.
Gary
I teach students that if you aren't enjoying what you're doing, you're doing the wrong thing.
I express excitement about our tasks, and have fun while performing them. When they start performing them, I'll just say,"Ain't it cool?!".
Hi George,
When students get to use their newly acquired skills they can see relevancy and application which is key to student retention.
Gary
I find giving students more time in the lab to use the skills they have learned is a great motivation.
Hi Briscoe,
This is a good way of show personal interest in your students. When you know some of their life experiences you know how to approach them when they need encouragement and support.
Gary
I find talking to the students i will find a way to motivate them thru their life experences
Hi David,
Students thrive on competition and you have given the students an opportunity to demonstrate their skills plus win besides. Everyone comes out better for the activity. Good job.
Gary
Hi Eric,
You used a key word and that is "real". We have to do that with our content or we will start to lose our students. Well done.
Gary
Hi Fredrik,
Thank you for this information. Good job in setting the stage for learning each day you are in the classroom.
Gary
Hi Kevin,
I commend you for the balance you bring to your classroom. You are using a variety of techniques and media to make the content come alive. Plus, you are selling your personality and this is important in motivating students. Well done.
Gary
I teach at a massage therapy school and one of our motivation ploys involves awarding the highest scoring team with massages from the runner-up team. Both teams are told when the competition will take place and what topic will be covered. The students become highly motivated when a massage is on the line.
I find that most of the teachers I work with along with myself try to keep it as real as we can. Setting our students up for success with the knowledge they need to acquire along with a real life experience is highly regarded. We know what it is like in our field and want our students to experience it so when they get out into the work force they succeed.
I think having positive re-inforcement, especially in the beginning, and having students discuss their life experiences are critical to motavting students. This can be done through small group discussions, case studies or role playing
Hi Gary,
I try to start each day in the class room with enthusiasum. I start the day talking about what we ar going to do in lab. I try to get them fired up about the subject by getting the to discuss how they can apply it in real life. It also helps to get feed back on applying it to the reason they took the class.
Thanks:
Fred Gulliksen
By sharing your experiences when teaching I find that it opens up a conversation with students for them to share their experiences with everyone. From this we are able to relate to the lesson at hand and build on what is being taught and what will follow.
