Christopher,
These are good questions to ask and discuss. The answers give you are real clear picture of who you have in class and why they are there. In addition, during the discussions you get to know your students much better.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Tripp,
I think they do as well so I use them whenever I can to reinforce a point or get students engaged in a discussion. Every session I have students with amazing background stories and experiences that help to illustrate our course content.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
On the first day of class I have everyone in class, including myself talk about why they are here. What made them choose the field of study they have chosen. What are their plans after they graduate. This seems to get everyone in a mood to pursue their dreams.
I believe that career students' real life experiences add a lot to the learning experience for other students, who do not have the life experinences, as they absorb the class material. It is the example of transference in the classroom.
Romana,
Your approach I know gets them excited. Just sharing the fact that you helped a person to know that they had early stage oral cancer sets the stage for engagement and excited on the part of students. Your skill and expertise may have saved the life of a person. This is a powerful message to send to students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Khayyam,
I think this is a good way to connect the course content to the lives of students. They start to see the value of the content in relation to the life experiences they have had.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
John,
Success stories are powerful motivators. They help students to see the value of the content and expertise being offered in classes in relation to their career goals.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I am really excited in lecture. I stress the importance of what they are learning and how they can apply their skills to change the well being of their patients. I tell them that after completing our program they will be able to make a real difference in the world. I give them specific examples of what I have accomplished throughout my carrer like detecting early stages of oral cancer on a patient during my exam which probably saved the patients life.
I allow students to share their personal experiences as it relates to the course content. This seems to make them feel confident about themselves and the understanding of the course content. Even if they are a little off in their understanding, I attempt to connect what they said back to the course content, reinforcing the value of their experience.
it seems like Success Stories would be the main motivating factor for students to focus on content?
Caroline,
Current events help to make the course content come alive. So the more you can do it the more your students will see application of the course content outside of the classroom.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think that it would be praise and positive reinforcement. both make students feel better about themselves and make them want to continue doing a good job.
I try to bring in current events into the topics as well as my past or current experience so that the students can see that I am current in today’s subject that we are talking about.
Amber,
No problem with candy. Remember adults are just tall children. My students work very hard to earn a piece of candy because it shows that they have answered a question or was able to contribute to the discussion. Amazing how much effort they will put forth to earn a candy kiss.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Showing my students how the classroom work relate to the field and showing them what the industries pay scale for their field. I find that help to motivate the students.
As funny as it is I reward my students with candy, or something like a new id holder it is fun for them and is easy to get and give.
Cheryl,
I use them a lot in my classes for the reasons you state. They really get the students ramped up and looking to the future. In addition, they help the current students to see the value of the content that is being shared in class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Jessica,
This is the human side of being an educator and it needs to be a part of all that we do for and with our students. This human aspect will carry over to them as they develop their own career personalities.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Peter,
This are powerful for the current students to hear. This lets them know if they will put forth the effort they to can be successful.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think its motivating to bring students who graduated and are out working into the field back to the class to speak about their experiences. They will often echo the same things you are teaching current students which helps students feel that their classroom learnings apply in real life.
