Hi Michelle,
We truly need more educators like you. It is obvious from students and peers alike whenever you love what you do!
Patricia Scales
Hi Rose,
Absolutely! Do not deviate on rules. Students will lose all respect for you, if you do not enforce rules.
Patricia Scales
I love my profession, I want it to be contagious. Give some backgroud and maybe examples.
by keeping the mood light and not to serious. keeping it cut and dry for the rules. yet letting them know what is expected of them, what they will come out of the course knowing and how this course will benefit them out in the feild.
Hi Teresa,
It does get them excited. Students want to know how they are going to benefit from the material.
Patricia Scales
when students see how they can relate the information they are learning in the field they are studying for. I think this gets them excited.
I gave them encouragement by telling them my successful personal experiences.
I agree. Students get excited when we are. Even if subject matter is dry and more theoretical.
I speak to students contantly about intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation. In the beginning, those who are extrinsic are focussed on the grade, and eventually the money that comes from the knowledge. But they soon realize that they learn more when they focus on their own desire to learn a subject.
Hi Adam,
I like the idea of a pretest/posttest. Students can really see their growth by utilizing these tools.
Patricia Scales
Hi Leslie,
I love your pep talk on Day 1. When students understand the relevance of the course, they begin to become excited and more interested in the course.
Patricia Scales
I like to show videos that relate directly to a topic to re-enforce that the topic is a needed part of the course and is important. I also like to start the class off with a pre-test based on the syllabus to test their knowledge, (they usually do not do well) and then they get tested again at the end of the course.
I instruct massage therapy students in the basic sciences of anatomy and physiology, kinesiology, and pathology. All of these courses come at the beginning of the program during the first fifteen weeks. Many new massage therapy students do not see the relevance of studying anatomy and physiology and its connection to massage therapy. In fact, many incoming students do not like science. On the first day of class after I have gone through the syllabus, I stress the fact that massage therapy is a rapidly growing part of the health care field. I also emphasize that many opportunities for employment exist for massage therapists that include practice in both traditional and chiropractic medicine. In addition, fitness centers and senior living facilities are now routinely hiring massage therapists. I go on to tell them that in order to become a successful massage therapist, it is essential that they have a complete understanding of the human body. A massage therapist must be able to assess a client and then make appropriate and informed decisions about treatment options that the client should receive. This beginning 'pep talk' usually helps students settle into this initial and important part of program.
Hi Stephanie,
A perfect combination is to mix fun while learning. Students tend to retain the information when learning is made fun.
Patricia Scales
I introduce the topics in a fun and exciting way to get them engaged in the course
I agree! Students become engaged when they hear about real world career situations. Immediately, course relevance is validated and student interest is enhanced.
In addition, I think that when an instructor is motivated and excited about their subject matter, students become motivated and excited!
Hi Molly,
Absolutely, excitement/engergy begin with the instructor!
Patricia Scales
Hi Bob,
I quickly learned that talking about income to students really get them motivated and interested.
Patricia Scales
I find that if I am excited about the course and have a passion for the material the students will too. Or at the very least they will take the content more seriously. I try to have fun with the material and give real life examples of how the content applies to their chosen career.
I discuss tasks and objectives planned for the course and relate those skills to how they will benefit the student in the future as they persue their career. I reinforce those examples by relating personal experiences I have had when working in the field and industry. I also use stories and examples of how these skills will benefit their income when they are members of the work force. I also address concerns that the tasks that may appear to be mundane become a "go to" skill in the field because of the relative ease of accomplishment and also the speed of comlpetion. That way, they are able to exceed their 100% efficiency rating by being able to generate more billable hours in a day than the number of hours they worked in a day. When a job is viewed as a good source of income, it becomes much more attractive to a technician.
