In my first class of new students, I make it a point to learn all of their first names. Most of my classes have about 25 students. My goal is to know something unique about each student and their names by the time the 10-week class ends. It's a short and condensed curriculum. By taking personal interest in them as students, it helps during the remaining classes. This is in addition to curriculum related issues.
I am normally a business instructor and have taught a basic Management course at least 10 times. Lately, administration has been scheduling all majors in this class, and the Criminal Justice and Medical Majors walk in wondering why they are there. I have found it necessary to spend, nearly an entire class period or more drawing in why this course content pertains specifically to them. I notice that if I give specific examples of how Management could relate directly to their field of choice, it helps tremendously. However, I had never really considered building the examples into the course syllabi, until taking this course. I am certain that I will try this next time I teach it. Are there more practical applications, available, to drawing in the scope, of a largely diverse classroom?
I like to use my "real world" experiance as I have nearly 20 years clinical experiance and still continue to work PRN in a local hospital. I find this to be an invaluable tool to get my students to relate to the subject matter. I stress that I will teach them all of the "tools" required to number graduate from our program, but to more importantly, be "hireable".
I could not agree with you more!
Hi Patricia,
This is always real tough. All you can do is to continue to try to motivate them and stress to them how the course will help them professionally. You many even try having another instructor or staff who has a good rapport with the student talk to the student privately about their goals.
Patricia
To be honest I dont know some days I feel like all the students want the instructor to do is spoone feed them.
But what do you do when the student has no desire to be in class? They don't care about outcomes. They could care less about learning.
I teach HVAC/R (Air Conditioning and Refrigeration). All my students have a home refrigerator, air conditioner, of furnace.
I constantly relate the class material to their home equipment or system layout to show them the text book is talking about and explaining something the see and use everyday.
As an assignment early in the term I ask them to complete a unit/system survey. Most come back with a lot of blanks or more importantly many questions.
At the end of the semester I ask them to fill out he same survey. It is almost always completely full with some extra information.
Now the class has personalmeaning to them and their homes.
At various points in the class the students start saying ...this is a lot easier than I though it was. I can do this. This makes sense. Now I know how this works.
Tim
Hi RK,
The tone really starts at the top with the instructor. It is a trickle down effect, normally if the instructor is excited about the course, it will rub off on the students.
Patricia
Hi Rose-Mary,
Knowledge is power. The more you know, the more powerful you are. Literature is the cornerstone to knowing.
Patricia
Fortunately I teach many subjects in which I have industrial and work experience which I can tie into the lesson. I can draw from those experiences, allowing me to tell stories and cite examples which are informative and often add some comic relief. This helps a great deal as any adult learners I have ever had want most of all to know why the material I’m going over is important and relevant to their future. In the past when I was teaching subjects in courses where I did not have the “war stories” to share, I first and foremost have immersed and familiarized myself with the material as much as possible, then brought in guest speakers, organized field trips, and/or had the students “shadow” someone in that specific field. Most importantly however, in these situations, I try as much as possible to talk to those in the field who have more experience in that subject that I can bring to the table. I draw from those people as much as possible and cite where the information is coming from so the students know that what they are doing is not just because I “say so” but rather that this is what is and will be expected from them in industry. I can talk until I’m blue in the face but what I say never goes as far with the students as what they hear from someone else, whether it be an expert in the field, a possible employer, a supervisor, a field trip host, an extern who was in their shoes not long ago, or a graduate of our program.
All of these practices, as well as simply trying to keep students involved and participating with the class activities have proven to be very successful for my classes. In a nutshell, I let the students know how each and every subject/lesson is relevant to the expectations future employers may have of them in the field.
As 30 students arrived to my ABC-123 course they immediately found the Empire State Building (in paper) on my desk. Actually, it looked more like the New York skyline. I greeted each of them as they arrived with a smile and a big “Welcome to ABC-123!” Once the entire group was assembled I gave an introduction to myself. As I passed out the syllabus, I shared all the exciting things they would be able to do in the course. Finally, one brave student asked, “Are those all of our handouts for this term?” I replied, “No, those are only units one and two! That’s just to get you started.” The group’s response was, “Wow!” “We’ve never had an instructor so well prepared before!” “This is going to be a great course!” And, it was.
I use examples of how the content serves as a necessary component of their future careers.
I often like to explain to the students that although it may not seem apparent why a literature course is important to getting a job in fashion or in the medical world. I make the students understand that a good education will educate the “whole person” and make them well rounded. Once we get started with our class and I have connected the various works of literature with life around them now, the students understand and “buy” into the importance of our class.
Hi Meridith,
This is a good way to get students focused and to share the purpose of the course.
Patricia
Hi Shawn,
Rapport building is important in education. Students trust you and will generally work hard for you, if a relationship is established.
Patricia
Prior to starting the course I talk about clinical applications of whatthey will learn and also point out the importance of knowing the material for the boards.In class I give them clinical application examples from my clinical experience after each topic we cover.
1 - Ask students what they want to get out of the course.
2 - Ask students to identify course material that is relevant to their training/future career.
3 - Allow students to select some reading/homework assignments.
4 - Give students options (a final project, for instance, might be on a topic of the student's choosing rather than the instructor's).
Hi Sarah,
Students like it when we make the course applicable to the real world. They can visualize things better when we make it pertain to the workplace.
Patricia
Hi RK,
I like to share with my students how the course will help them professionally/personally.
Patricia
