If we, as instructors are not enthusiatic about what we do and teach - then why on earth would the students want to be in there listnening!? Put ourselves in their place. Do we want to go to a boring seminar that we know the instructor is doing just because he/she has to? Our students are know different. Make it fun, interesting and LOVE what you do and WHY you do it!!!!!!!
I think it is very important for an instructor to be excited about what he or she is teaching. Excitment is " catchy" and it tends to be absorbed by those around it. I think it makes the students excited about what they are learning and helps them maintain that excitment out in the job world.
It took me a while to realize that my attitude, approach and enthusiasim for the classes I teach played significantly to the ys my students would respond and perform in the class. As a Gen Ed instructor I was astonished by this, and recognized after a short while, just how important my level of attitude was toward helping to motivate or keep students motivated, especially as we began midterms in courses previously taught.
I feel that if an instructor is not enthused about the subject matter at hand, it is hard to "sell" the subject of discussion. Who can get motivated to learn (or do anything) without exterior stimulus ie; thier leader/ instructor.
Enthusiasm is contagious just as the lack of it is. It sets the tone for the entire class!
Hi Ellen,
By having a variety of deliveries and support strategies an instructor can appeal to many different learning preferences while not only educating and entertaining students. Some instructors say they should not have to entertain students and in general that is true. The students are not there to be entertained but by being engaging and interesting you will keep the students focused on the content throughout the course.
Gary
Instructor enthusiasm sets the tone for each class meeting. By setting a positive tone through enthusiasm, the general environment of the classroom becomes more comfortable which facilitates learning.
I have seen this manifested in classes I have taken as well as other faculty classes that I have been able to sit in. A teacher that seems bored or uninterested in the material transmits that to the students as clearly as the material. A teacher almost has to remember that they are a performer- not just a mechanical head that has an audio tape within it.
I think that instructor enthusiasm has a large impact on student retention. If the instructor is bored or uninterested in her subject, then this will come through to the students. It will impact how she delivers the knowledge to the students and it impacts their learning.
If an instructor is excited about her topic, then she brings more positive energy to the class. She'll be more likely to bring in outside resources that will show students how much she cares about the topic. She'll be better able to provide good feedback to the students and will create a more effective learning environment.
