Hi Robert,
I understand you completely and it is a good question you ask. Sad when an instructor is like a sloth in terms of movement and excitement about his/her field. We need to be excited and share that excitement with our students.
Gary
a better question might be the reverse .... how does instructor lethargy impact retention? Why on EARTH do students put up with a dis-interested teacher? Just throwing rocks.
Enthusiasm is catchy. It is hard for a student to remain negative for very long in a positive atmosphere. It can be the piece that can spark a flame of motivation that will keep the student wanting to come back for more.
Any educators enthusiam and passion for the material keeps the students engaged and excited abouth the learning process.
The instructor sets the mood for his/her class. If the instructor starts class on time, brings a positive attitude to class, and is organized, chances are most of the students in that specific class will follow suit.
Hi Gerald,
You are right about how enthusiasm is catching. If you are excited about your field your students will be as well. Their excitement helps to make the class so smoother and it keeps them engaged in the learning process.
Gary
my enthusiasm bleeds throught to my students. Once they see I am excited, the nervousness goes away, they get excited about the content
Hi Allen,
Great to hear about how you have enjoyed teaching over the years. It is a great job because of the impact we are making on the lives of our students and the legacy we are leaving to our field. Enjoy your teaching success.
Gary
I feel you must enjoy teaching i have been teaching since 1985 part time. In 2007 i went full time teaching it give me great feeling when i see someone and they tell me i changed there life.I then feel i have done something rtght and this makes it all wrouth doing my jop.
An instructors enthusiasm can be infectious and creat that desire and motivation in the student to finish their studies so that they to can go out into the field and experience it for themselves and maybe even influence others.
An enthusiastic instructor is engaging and expressive. It helps students learn because students are motivated. If the instructor is enthusiastic, he/she can stimulate and maintain student attention by speaking emphatically and using humor. The instructor should not just stay at the podium during lecture. He/she should move around while making eye contact with the students. When students are motivated, they will stay in class and want to learn. If an instructor is only going through the motions of teaching, he/she will not be able to retain students because it shows that the instructor does not care. An instructor cannot be apathetic. You must demonstrate a dedication to the learning process with enthusiasm otherwise you will start losing students.
I have found that with my genuine enthusiasm for my courses as well as for my students has not only had a positive effect on them, but also fuels my own excitement. This refueling of my own excitement retains my interest, keeps the class from getting stale, and keeps the students engaged for the duration of the course.
Enthusiasm helps students get excited about what they are learning. If an instructor does not seem enthusiastic, then the students will not engage in the lecture.
I feel that if you loose the passion for being an instructor you are immediatley setting the student experience in a negative way. I normally on the 1st day have some pleasnt music on, have the room organized and open for them to explore. They are always nervous to begin with. I also greet each student and introduce myself as they enter. This sets the open friendly line of communication that most students need. You are proffesional yet authoritive at the same time. They immediatley feel a sense of comfort and are anxiuous and attentive to get started.
Hi William,
I like your way with words! We all need to "power up" if we are going to get our students excited about our field.
Gary
This is an easy question--it is one of the most important aspects that promotes student retention. If you, the instructor, do not want to be there, how will you expect your students?
I am very excited every day in the classroom, even when I teach early in the morning. Even being a little "out there" in front of your students shows them that you are human and that you have a passion for your subject.
I have many students, by the end of the sememster, say, you know what, I just might want to be a writer now.
That is a great feeling to change their attitudes toward a subject!
Instructor enthusiasm influences how interested the student will be in the material presented. Also it will affect the overall interest the student has in the program enrolled.
Electricity.
Our homes have lights, microwaves, hair-dryers, high-powered table saws, televisions, computers, vacuum cleaners, ceiling fans, robots (well, maybe) and so on. And the power for all these gadgets, we know, is channeled from a central source - a power plant perhaps.
Students are the homes and instructors are the powerplants. All the gadgets and gizmos are student's thoughts. If the powerplant shuts down, no gadgets and gizmos. The house won't fall down, but the activity will diminish.
Share the excitement and spread the energy.
I believe that it can have a big influence of those students unsure of the course or "on the fence" in their thoughts on the content. I think you will always have those students (especially in the online environment) that are having some kind of life crisis who won't engage in a class at all. However, there are certainly those students who perhaps think the material doesn't apply to them. This is where I think it is my job to engage my students and get them interested in the material. I teach psychology and my first chat session is made to show all students that psychology is part of his or her everyday life. I think it is basic sense that if the "leader" of anything is excited, interested, enthusiastic in something, then the rest of the "crowd" will buy into it more.
Hi Diana,
I am sure you are a hit with your students because of your excitement about your field. In addition, it is obvious that you love working with people. By combining your love of your field and people you have the best of both worlds and your students benefit from it.
Keep up the great work you are doing.
Gary
