motivating students
i tend to motivate my students by sharing positive work experiences. this gives them something to look forward to when they completet their program and also gives them a solid foundation. it also gives them a positive outlook that someday their hard work will pay off.
Great tool for learning experience
Daniel,
Students love stories like this. They make the class more fun and it shows how the content will be used when they are out in the work world.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
This is a great example I like to use because it shows the students that you have been where they want to go. It also allows you to get their attention more by adding a little comedy to your stories so that they see that the word "work" does'nt just mean boring and serious.
Cynthia,
What are some examples of the ways you use work experiences to gauge learning?
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I too find work experiences is a great way to guage learning.
Jacqueline,
Sharing of this kind is very interesting for everyone. Through sharing of life experiences you get an idea about the students that are currently enrolled and they get an idea about their learning leader. Together then you all can share and reinforce the content with your experiences.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I try to motivate my students by letting them talk about their life experiences. It helps them to interact better in the class. They will become more involved. Plus I love to talk about my experiences from my work history and experiences about life. It could be very entertaining. Plus, they like to add to it. It gives them a chance to express their feelings.
Marjorie,
Thanks for sharing your story about your BA with us. These are the stories that students need to hear because they frequently think their instructors have all be handed their jobs, careers, degrees, etc. without having to every work for any of them. Also, that instructors have no personal lives so it is impossible for life to get in the way of their goals and aspirations. Knowing their instructor has had life challenges and has had to work hard to achieve the success that you have had is a powerful message to them and something to which they can relate.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I like your idea. I use both positive and negative work experiences based on the learning objective of the day. Sometimes the worse experiences makes for the funniest stories. This helps when they feel like life is getting to them and they can't go on. We have all felt that way and letting your students know that not everyday at work is going to be the best, and it's ok, can be motivation enough. There have been times when no matter what you say to the student-they are determined to want to fail. Sometimes I will share with them the story of when I got my BA. It took me 10 years because life got in the way. I didn't give up, I just slowed down enough to get everything done I thought I needed to.
