When I got out of the Air Force in 1980 (after twenty years) I started working for a telecommunications firm teaching technicians how to repair and program Private Branch Exchange (PBX) equipment. After being certified, I taught my first class. The first thing I did in the first class was what I called
"polling the class". I took time with each student and asked them about themselves (where they where from, what kind of experience they had, what hobbies they had, etc). I was also creating a seating chart with their names (as I am pretty bad with names). I often encouraged students to interact during this process (Oh you are from Denver? I am from Denver). Although it took a fair amount of time, I felt it was well worth it. I got a feeling of who might need help, who I could call on for support by discussing their experiences, and who I could count on the keep the class "light". All with a few minutes for each student. I have used the "polling process" ever since. It works.
Other strategies are to make sure each student feels comfortable in the classroom environment, both physically and socially. I always used to get to class early and "socialize" before the class.
Another way is to use the students name during the class and when asking for their opinions or answers to questions. (Always making sure that you had good probability of correct answers by asking basic questions of the less experienced students and harder questions of the more experienced students).
Also, scanning the "audience" and looking for puzzled faces and making sure you get feedback from the student before pressing on. "Reading" the students is what I call this.
Now, working with online classes I do not have all these tools. I do have the chat environment, and one hour a week there is a live lecture. Trying to "read" the students over video feed on the internet one hour a week is a lot more difficult than in person. But I do get some readings.
I use group projects to ensure that all students are engaged in the topic or subject. I typically include current events where there are many varied ideas bouncing around the classroom. Usually this leads to healthy discussion and debate. I've never had students become disruptive or disrespectful of other students and their ideas.
Dr. Meers,
One method I use to make the students feel part of the class is what I would call strolling interviews. During the lab portion of my class I will walk around to check for understanding and retention. During these walks I will strike up conversations with students and get to know their background/personal information. Knowing something about where they are from and what they currently do for a living can help me to make a personal contact with them in the future. For example, if I see it just snowed 2 feet in their home town I can mention that as I greet them in class the next day.
Another technique is to turn the tables and allow them to teach me something. This works well with adult learners who are often experts in other fields. Their confidence is boosted by having the opportunity to show that they do possess expert skills in other areas. People who have that confidence are far less likely to fear the possibility of failure. Just today I learned about the Auto Junkyard business and the salvage value of a catalytic converter.
Ben Groeger
Give students a variety of tasks and responsibilities. Some tasks are fun and interesting while others are less glamorous, but necessary, such as cleaning up. Everyone should take a turn, and I usually encourage a student who already knows how to do something show the next student how to do it, while I observe. They share the burdens and train each other.
Hi Louise,
Good strategy. Much of the learning comes from student interaction and discussion so the more of that you can do the more invested in the course they will become.
Gary
When discussing a topic, I often ask students to relate their personal experiences. For example, when discussing the basics of contract law, offer and acceptance, I use the examples of second graders trading lunch items. All of us have experienced some form of "I'll give you my peanut butter sandwich for your cookies".
Additionally, I encourage questions from the class. I often tell them that my classes are highly interractive, and they will get as much out of the class as they put into it.
Hi Lin,
I agree with you on the assigning of daily duties. This keeps the students focused and engaged throughout the course. They know each day they will have some level of involvement in what goes on in the class.
Gary
I think assigning to student a course related daily duty is one of effective ways to maintain student concentrate on daily topic and give them feel that they are a part of the class since they can always find them self a place in the class. In my class, I have a list of daily duties for each student, and they rotate their responsibility each day. I tell them the class or lab is theirs, it is their responsibility to organize and maintain a clean and positive learning environment with me together, and it has been working well.
I like to talk about the subject matter as suggested in the module, then ask the students to role play with me and discuss application. It it seems effective in getting them to talk about and really comprehend the materials.
One method I use is having the students teach each other. I assign each student one section of a chapter and ask that they put together the main points and then find more info from an outside resource. The outside resource is usually a case study, Youtube video, or photograph to give a real-life example of what we're learning. (This is a miniature research project; it isn't so big that the students freak out about it...not yet, anyway.) The student also shares a mnemonic device to remember the details of the section to make studying for the final easier. Each student shares this with the class, and the rest of the class is welcome to share their personal experiences on the topic.
I find that group projects and assignments are very helpful...I tell my students that the profession that they are going into requires team members and that they are an important part.
Learning students name’s helps students feel part of the class. But it is more than just the instructor learning the students names; it is the class learning everyone’s name to truly create an environment where everyone feels like they are part of the class. I accomplish this through my icebreaker. The first day of class I have all of the students come up to the front of the room, write down their name, and introduce themselves with some way for everyone to remember their name. People use unique stories, songs with their name it, rhymes, etc. as their system to teach out their name to everyone. I then quiz the class on everyone’s name on the 4th meeting of the class and give them credit in the form of a quiz points. After I started this system I also started to drop their lowest quiz of the term, and this one was included so if a student didn’t want to learn the names they didn’t need to, however, this has never happened and students have been extremely motivated to learn everyone’s name.
By knowing the goals of the learners, you can call attention to aspects of the subject being studied which might be of particular interest to that student. Or you can ask individual students how a particular concept might apply in their chosen field.
You can assign roles to students for a class period. For example, you may ask people to document disucssions which can be distributed to the entire class.
I like to address individual questions with the whole class. So, when a student asks me a question, I like the entire class to hear the question and answer. This way, the student feels that they're being heard and have asked an important question, while possibly answering the question for those who hadn't asked it yet.
Hi Joe,
You have a great approach to starting a class. You are engaging all of the students and exchanging some non-class related banter while everyone gets settled. This really helps to set the stage for a successful class.
Gary
Hi Mary,
Way to go in slowly involving the students in the class through the learning groups and discussions. This method enables them to build the confidence needed to be active participants.
Gary
Hi:
I generally have both younger students and adults who are trying to update their skills after their employment has been terminated.
I always greet each student by name as they enter the classroom and try to ask them something that is unrelated to class. I then try to bring the other students in the class into the discussion so the students get comfortable and interact before class begins.
For instance, I have a young student in my Intermediate I Accounting class who raises and sells rabbits as a hobby. I also have a mid-life student who was laid off from the real estate industry who works part-time in the meat deapartment of a supermarket. I'll ask the older student what he thinks of raising rabbits; you can guess his comment relative to his part-time job. This then sets off good-natured bantering between the younger and older student as well as bringing the other students into the conversation.
Joe Traxler
We do a lot of group activities in the law and writing classes I teach. We vary the size and members of these groups so all the students get to know one another. This builds the confidence of some of the quieter students and they feel like they are more a part of the class. Eventually, most of them even feel confident enough to participate in class discussions.
Hi Stacy,
This is what developing rapport with students is all about. They know you care about their success and that you are there to support them when they need it. This keeps them coming to school even when times are tough.
Gary
What I do to make students feel as part of the class is that I try to learn their names as soon as I can, which is difficult. I also ask how their weekends were; if they emailed to let me know that they were absent due to an illness of their own or a death in the family, etc. I always ask how they are feeling, how the family is doing, whatever fits the reason. I found through experience that making that personal connection to them helps them feel that they belong in this class, not as an outsider. I try to connect withem as much as possible and let them know that I was once where they are now.
