The students will reflect how the instructor acts in class.If the instructor shows he does not care about the class or the students then the students will not want to be in class.
Ralph,
This is a good point in terms of what we need to bring to the classroom. If we bring passion for our field and enthusiasm for teaching about it our students are going to see that there is a reason for them to be excited about what they are studying. Excitement does spread so we need to bring it each time our classes meet.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
While I agree we don't want to become entertainers above educators, I believe that if you are enthusiastic, passionate and knowledgeable about the material you are presenting then it just IS entertaining, at least to the student who wants to learn.
Heather,
Passion about your field and enthusiasm for teaching it helps to generate student excitement just as you mention. It is for sure that if you are not excited about being in the class the students won't be either. We need to bring our A game to class each time it meets.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think that being enthusiastic as an instructor is contagious for the students. I especially like to relate stories from my time working in the field to show the importance of the material we are working on. The students then will often perk up and listen more intently or share stories of their own on the topic.
Scott,
Passion for one's field and enthusiasm for teaching about it goes a long way in generating student excitement. We need to bring both to our classes each time they meet.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
In my years being around the adult learning community I can attest that instructor enthusiasm does have a direct reflection on student retention. Often times I can tell from the way a student acts or presents themselves who they currently have for an instructor. Instructor enthusism is infectious when it comes to how much a student is enjoying their overall school experience. If students are excited about not only what they are learning but who they are learning it from they have a much deeper sence of belonging and therefore will continue to be a student and ultimately be retained.
Christopher,
If students see your passion for your field and your enthusiasm for teaching it then they are going to become engaged at a much higher rate. Excitement is catching so we need to spread it around.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
It is a large part of the success of the class, I find that students in preceding classes are excited to be coming to my class just from speaking to other students that have taken my class, I try to keep it light and interject a bit of fun to every class as I have found if you aren't enjoying it you wont want to learn it
Kareme,
Like your excitement about teaching. You are so right about the need for instructors to bring passion and enthusiasm to the class each time it meets. Your student let you know she valued something that she knew would be boring and yet it wasn't as a result of your effort. Keep up the good work of impacting the lives and learning of your students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Instructor enthusiasm is essential and a critical factor in the motivation and retention of students.
As an instructor, sustaining that level of enthusiasm in the classroom year over year can be a challenge. I will admit, there have been times when I have found myself simply going through the motions of teaching simply to teach…which is generally the first sign that something needs to change. When I find myself at this point, I try to find different ways to revise or enhance the way in which I am presenting materials to students. Having the opportunity to develop new and different presentation techniques sparks my enthusiasm, which in turn I have found helps raise the enthusiasm of my students. If an instructor can create an environment in which students believe that they can succeed, then the students are more likely to persist as well.
Beatrice,
Having passion for your field and enthusiasm for teaching about it goes a long way in getting students engaged. So the more you can bring of both the better.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
One of my students in a survey wrote that I made a completely boring subject tolerable. What a compliment! I made something that a student thought she would hate a topic that she could handle. That's a lot!
Enthusiasm is the key; I love what I teach and find the subject to be continuously fascinating and challenging. Someone on the forum said that you can't fake passion. It's true. Passion and enthusiasm can go hand in hand. When we show this to students, when we get in that "zone" and feel the most ourselves, we give them the gift that we owe in our roles. We owe it to our students, and we owe it to ourselves. I consider teaching to be a great honor, and I think that between that perception and the passion that we bring to the classroom, we can retain students best.
I agree; been enthusiastic about the subject I am teaching motivates the students to better engage in the learning process.
Julie,
Thank you for these key points about instructor enthusiasm. You are right on with your comments in relation to we the learning leaders needing to display enthusiasm for teaching about our field.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Jeremy,
Your first sentence is so true. Enthusiasm is catching as well. The more we display it the more our students will catch it. If we don't care about being in the class it is for sure our students won't be either. Your point about online learners is a good one because it is easy for them to sit back and not become a part of the learning process if we don't work hard to get them engaged.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Ricky,
Great point! Passion for your field and enthusiasm for teaching about it are two essential elements needed for teaching/learning success. We need to bring both to class each and every time it meets if we expect our students to be excited about learning.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Instructor enthusiasm is contagious. If an instructor is charismatic about their approach to teaching it demonstrates to the student that the subject matter is fascinating.
I've had instructors myself who have taken an incredibly boring subject and turned it into an exciting subjec. On the flip side, I've had instructors who turned a subject I was very excited about into a long, boring experience.
We want to be the good and fun thing in the students'lives, not just one more thing they have to check off their daily check-list of things to do.
I think online instructors have a hard time with this since students are not required to attend the live sessions.
Enthusiasm is contagious!
It seems like instructor enthusiasm is even more important for online courses than on-ground. On-ground courses are more immersive to students - it is relatively easy to be excited in a classroom in a good group discussion. Students enjoy that chemistry and want to come back to the next course.
In fully online courses, students are physically isolated, so it is very important to bring them together and get them excited about the work in other ways. Instructor enthusiasm is a great way to do that - it keeps lectures interesting and fun, and serves as an ice-breaker in getting students talking to each other. The more involved everyone feels, the more likely they are to stay engaged.
If you go into a class with a lot of enthusiasm, the students will be interested in what you have to say. They will hang on every word. If you don't show enthusiasm, they students will have no interest, and will wonder why they took the course to begin with. Having an upbeat outlook and personality keeps the students engaged, and keeps them coming back for more. when you show a real interest, they will reflect the same interest.
