Donna,
Well said. Instructors need to have passion for their field and enthusiasm for teaching it. This is a winning combination for everyone.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Elanor,
Well said. The Ben Stein scene is a favorite of mine due to the way this teacher presents the material in the most boring way possible. I have used this clip in my professional development workshops because it is done so well plus makes a very clear point. We need to have passion for our field and enthusiasm for teaching about it. Just as you say when we bring enthusiasm to the classroom it spreads and learning happens.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I feel like as an instructor I want the students to know that I have personal knowledge of the course I am teaching. By showing enthusiasm in the subject, it lets students know that they have chosen a field they can get excited about and be proud of.
Instructor Enthusiasm means that the instructor wants to be in the classroom and that transmits to the student.
If an instructor loves what they are teaching and brings it to the classroom setting, the students see that joy and love. The passion for the subject will encourage the instructor to learn as much as possible for that topic and thus will be able to impart knowledge that may be extraneous, but beneficial to the class. The student will also see relevance to what is being taught, and will also have a personal connection to the material (knowing it effected the instructor gives it personal meaning).
Vice versa, if the instructor is not engaging or enthusiastic about the material, the students quickly become bored with the class. The student will quickly become less focused and find it hard to understand the material if the instructor stood in front of the class like Ben Stein in Ferris Buler's Day Off.
Enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm. We show our students why it is important to learn what we teach.
Jeannie,
Attitude spreads just as you say. It is for sure if you are not excited about being in the classroom it is for sure that your students won't be either. We need to spread the positive when it comes to learning.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Daniel,
Passion for your field and enthusiasm for teaching are two elements needed for teaching and learning success. Your comments are right on about needing to be a salesman of your content. You need to give your students reasons and applications of why they are being taught what they are and why they need to learn the material. When you do this you get a pay back from your students that makes all your work worth it.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
If I am having a good time the students are having a good time. Enthusiasm is contagious and any learning situation can be successful with the right attitude.
Wow.............this is sooooooooooooo critical!! How could we expect to create a desire-to-learn in our classroom if we fail to exhibit true enthusiasm for the subject being taught? From my personal learning experience (during which I was known to nap occasionally) I know it is impossible. One instructor in a post said he was also an entertainer. I see it a little differently, in that I see myself as part-salesman. Through my sincere enthusiasm for the subject I hope to "sell" my class on the importance of learning it now so that they can apply it later in the real world.
Melissa,
You hit upon the two key words--passion and enthusiasm. Both need to be present in the class if students are going to be engaged in the learning process.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
When the students can see the instructors enthusiasm and passion for the course and the field, I think the students see that and can't wait to start working.
Tammie,
It sure does. We need to bring passion for our field and enthusiasm for teaching about it to class each and every time we step into the classroom or lab.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Instructor enthusiasm plays a large role in student retention because if a student feels the instructor does not care about them as a student or the material they are teaching they will not be motivated to continue their learning.
Shane,
So true. Excitement is catching so if we bring passion for our field and enthusiasm for teaching to class our students will sense it and feed off our modeling and learning leadership.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Brittney,
I teach from 4 until 10 pm so I can relate to your class situation. To keep the students engaged for six hours after they have worked all day is tough but through careful planning possible. It is fun to come up with creative things to do to change the pace of the class and help the students to reset their minds so we can keep the class moving forward.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
An instructors enthusiam or lack of enthusiasm has a large influence on student retention. If an instructor is enthusiatic, the students will be excited to come to class and learn. On the other hand if an instructor lacks enthusiasm, it will negatively impact the student and cause them to not want to come to class.
When an instructor is excited about the material, it is reflected in his/her instruction. The instructors tone will be different based on the excitement for the material. The preparation for the lecture will most likely be greater, because the instructor enjoyed preparing for it. The students will also realize that the subject matter can be exciting and interesting to learn. I teach a night class, and I realize that students are often tired from daily responsibilities and activities, but if I am able to get the students excited about the topic, they take-in and retain that information. Also, I noticed that when I am particularly interested in a topic, I provide more visual aids and props to aid in the learning process.
Audrey,
Cannot over emphasize the value of enthusiasm when it comes to teaching. An instructor that is passionate about his or her field and excited about teaching the content is going to enjoy student engagement.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
When an instructor is enthusiastic about a topic that students do not find appealing, the students tend to wonder why the instructor like it so much. In turn, the student is more willing to give a subject a chance just because someone else likes it so much.
Katie,
Right you are about getting students to become involved in the course to the point they are excited about coming to class. We instructors need to strive to build enthusiasm for what we are teaching and activities that engages the students. The results will be students that want to come to class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
If a student feels good about going to class they will keep going. It is important to keep the students excited about learning. many students have alot going on outside of school so you want to make sure they feel respected and valued.
