Students typically respond to what is presented to them. If the Instructor lacks enthusiasm it then takes away from the instructional content recieved by the student because they mirror this and loose interest in the content trying to understand how the content delivery became so unenthusiastic
Hi Christella,
Right you are. What are some ways you do this in your classes? Thanks for your input on this.
Gary
The instructor need to know the information that are being given to the students and should be able to deliver the instructions in ways so all student can learn the way that is easy for them.
Hi Donna,
Great story. I love hearing positive news like this. You should feel very proud of your efforts and your fellow faculty. You are are doing a lot of things right with this kind of retention. Keep up this great effort.
Gary
If you are not enthusiastic about the profession you dedicated your life to, your students won't be either. I think the more enthusiastic you are,the more students will look forward to the next class session as well as coming back for more each term. Enthusiastic instructors make students "thirst" for more and as a result, they will learn more.
I"am a lead instructor of a new program . We will be open 1 year this July.We just got news our retention for this course is 94 % the highest for this department and school.I work with 3 other Instructors and we all love our work, thats what makes a difference!
Hi Trevor,
Right you are. Simple and forthright in terms of creating an atmosphere of excitement that will increase student motivation.
Gary
Pure and simple. If an instructor is not excited about being there, neither is the student.
Hi Gayle,
So true. If you aren't excited you cannot expect excitement from your students. Yet I see teachers trying to force learning when they themselves have no external interest in the topic let alone the course. For these folks I have advice that includes either getting excited about teaching or get out of the field.
Gary
If you as an instructor are not enthusiastic about what you are teaching, the students will figure that this material really is not important and I will not be able to relate this material to the learning experience. Sometimes it hard if the material you are presenting is material you have presented many times. I find added any personal experiences to the material makes the material much more exciting. Even using the students names and getting the students involved in the lessons helps keep the material interesting.
If the instructor shows a lot of enthusiasm about the subject matter then this sets an example for the student to be enthusiastic as well. This excitement helps the student want to continue the learning process.
When the instructors show enthusiasm for the topic/ class, they show passion and love in their teaching and presentation. The course becomes more meaningful, exiting and interesting to learn. Students learn by this modeling concept and thus they want to learn more.
Hi Ellie,
This is great to hear. It shows that you are being effective in your approach. The students are seeing value to what they are learning. Keep up the good work.
Gary
I LOVE public speaking. I think it is a completely relevant topic for anyone in any field and it shows in my teaching. However, most students who come to my class are initially scared and hate the idea of having to take the class. Just the words public speaking make students run in the other direction. I do my best to incorporate creative ways to get them to speak in front of others so before they realize it, they have actually done a "speech" and it becomes less intimidating. by the time they leave my class I feel that if I haven't turned them around to liking the class, well, at least they aren't scared at the thought anymore.
If the instructor is enthusiastic about the material they give off the feeling that the materials are interesting and allows the students to be more ralaxed about the learning proccess.
Hi Barbara,
You comment about student comments concerning less than enthusiastic instructors is common sad to say. I agree with the students if an instructor isn't excited about teaching his/her content area then don't. Get out of teaching and open a space for someone that is really excited and wants to share knowledge and experiences with others.
Gary
Students often tell me that they are energized by my enthusiasm for teaching my subject content. I teach nursing and use examples of personal experience at key points to emphasize critical topics in the med/surg content. I have found from years of teaching that if you truly love to teach, a natural enthusiasm for your subject content will come through to the student recipients. Students often comment on instructors who lack any enthusiasm in the classroom setting, and often make the comment that if "they aren't motivated about teaching, why should I be motivated about learning?"
Barbara Stevens
Hi Sharion,
This is a great way to approach the classroom each time. It is the first time for these students so we instructors need to be prepared and at the top of our game to make sure we are engaging our students in the content.
Gary
I agree 100%. I teach by this mantra: "I may have taught this topic 100 times, but it is a first for my current class". Enthusiasm for the course and topics is instrumental to buy-in from the class.
Sharion
Hi Julie,
Great strategies. Thanks for sharing them with us. I know they are going to be valuable to a wide variety of instructors and as a result of much benefit to students.
Gary
