Hi John,
Students generally get excited when you are excited. Excitement is contagious.
Patricia
Students tend to not look forward to my class because it can be rather challenging. I try to motivate them by impressing upon the importance of the topic to their chosen career paths. When they understand how the course will allow them to be better at their jobs, then they get excited and open to learning more.
Hi Patricia,
I find this a welcome challenge with each new course I teach. I have been teaching English SO long that I am usually prepared for the moans and groans when students enter the class, and as always, to listen to "I hate reading and writing." Through continued trial and error, I find that incorporating modules with group activities, relevant writing assignments to the student's life, and open discussion about important issues, students are more accepting of the course and doing the work. For example, the first assignment in my 098 and 101 English course is the narrative. This allows students to write about their own experiences and apply their wisdom or insight into the first essay. They usually love the assignment and wish to write more "narratives" once we get into literary analysis or argumentation essays. They learn that they don't "hate" but sometimes dislike certain assignments in English while loving others. The best way, I believe, to help students become excited is through making the assignments relative to their experiences and if not relative, interesting to them. As much as I wish they would all LOVE Shakespeare as much as I do, I realize that's not very likely and so I try to avoid my own biases in writing and reading for what I've seen work in previous classes as well as risking lessons I believe will work in future ones.
Thanks,
Anne
I find that the students react well when I present the course with enthusiasm and zeal. Touching on the satisfaction that comes with a job well done and just being in a positive and uplifting mood. Being passionate about what you do or did and now teach is also a plus.
Hi, Patricia,
Students come to our school with ambitious goals for success. I tap into their passion for what we teach by discussing how it applies directly in our industry. I let them know that the foundation skills can lead directly to great results in the industry when applied with energy and passion. It also helps if I can say what really turns ME on about our industry. Nothing else is as believable as personal experience shared honestly--Gary O. Ackerman
Hi, Lindsay, I agree about the powerpoint. It's a great tool for structuring or outlining but I think the conversation really jumps when we use it mostly as a framework, and then get into interacting from there.--Gary
An Edutainer!I find as a new facilatator that seems to fit my style of teaching. I like to mix in the field experiences in my lessons. By making my room a "stage" I find the students asking for "encores" and or more lessons via my story telling on the subject matter. I find that even the introverted type student is engaged and the discussion sticks better. I have had past students complimenting the lesson weeks after they have finished my course.
By letting students do some activities.
Hi Sharon,
We are certainly edutainers. We have to perform to the highest level daily. Let's give our students their money's worth.
Patricia
Hi Cynthia,
What are you going to do to get students excited about course content?
Patricia
thanks for all your input guys. im new and very excited to get started. love all the helpful hints
If an instructor is personally excited about the course they are teaching, the feelings of enthusiasm reflects on to the students also.
I agree, mixing it up is good, I feel like an actress on stage, trying to keep students into learning.
Hi Christopher,
Applying what you have learned can be very exciting for students. We need to make sure our students can apply the concepts they have been taught.
Patricia
students do get excited IF the instructor is also excited about the course. If they can see the purpose of the instruction, if they can put it to use then it gets them excited about the course. I like to have the students practice what they have been taught so they can see it work. It is great to watch them work and enjoy themselves.
Hi Susie,
When you can connect to a student's liking, you have an even more excited student. Students tend to get real involved whenever there is a great sense of enthusiasm.
Patricia
I try to connect to their own enthusiasm. Many of my students are very passionate about their careers, so I ask them about their favorites (favorite food to cook, music, favorite tv shows....and why). That gives me an access point through which to filter my delivery of the content.
Hi David,
Your students are so fortunate to have you as an instructor. You really have a lot to bring to the class owning your practice. This can be a perfect network opportunity for students as well.
Patricia
I go over the relevance of the course applied to working in the field. Students like to hear how what they will be learning will carry over into the work place. With my 20 years in the medical field I am able to share with them all the new experiences they may encounter and the need to be prepared. We discuss class project ideas and talk about new approches to learn the material we will be covering. I find when we have a "check-off" list at the beginning it gives the students something to look forward to and be excited about.
I have a good advantage to my classroom as I not only instruct Massage Therapy I have my own massage therapy practice. I use real live encounters as examples of why the information in each class is relevant. I enjoy showing my classes how and why they are learning what they are learning. We like to use enthusiasm as our number one helper tool to get information to the students.
