increasing teacher retention
how do i increase my own retention, when i'm teaching a subject matter that i'm losing interest in?
Andrea,
This is a very tough situation for you to teach in. With this breakneck pace and dedicated content it is difficult to offer much variety. I know one of the things I would do for myself is try to find and incorporate one new activity each time I teach the course. It would be a simple one that does not take much time. I would do this because it helps me generate enthusiasm for that segment of the course. As a result I can grind through the other segments and stay on course. My point is to try and look for little things that can be done to increase your enjoyment of teaching the course and hopefully this will help you to get back some of the enthusiasm that has been lost. I wish you much success as you work through this challenge.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I'm experiencing this issue myself. I understand that as a new instructor I am required to teach a large volume of low-level courses that are far from my specialty, but I admit I'm getting burned out. My college also has very short terms and rigid schedules. I feel like a barely have time to race through the required topics before the course is over. I feel like the pace is hard on the students, too, but I'm not sure how to be enthusiastic while I'm racing through the course material at break-neck speeds.
I would like to experiment and spice things up, but the college sets the curriculum. I feel obligated to fulfill the requirements of their course (since they sign my checks), but I am certain that the pace and requirements are keeping many students away. Suggestions?
Stephanie,
Develop and implement new activities for the course. I find it a lot of fun to come up with new activities and them field test them with my students. My interest is increases because I'm not sure if the activities will work so I am experimenting which increases my course retention and engagement.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
