i always give real life examples of the things that I have done or experienced and make it exciting for them that they may get to have the chance to have great experience from their career also.
I like to relate the course content back to the original reason the student decided to pursue this course in the first place. Listen to their reasons and their passions and then relate the information through my personal experiences in a fun and relatable approach.
You have to show enthusiasm for the subject, give personal examples, and help students understand how the course content applies to their future career. Humor helps too. You also have to get students involved in class discussions and projects so they're not just having information thrown at them.
Hi Lisa,
Students need to and want to know how the course is applicable in the workplace.
Patricia
Hi Sheila,
Students like looking to a promising future. Something postive to look forward to is excitement in itself.
Patricia
I try to relate it to their future career by using examples.
Show relevance to students future career goals.
I try to relate the course to "real world" examples as often as possible.
When a teacher is excited about course content, the students seem to get excited too. Students can tell when a teacher has a passion for what they do. Relating content to the student's real life also helps get students excited about what they're learning.
I always instruct my students to think outside of the box - in coding, they must create their own coding scenario and utilize trifolds, drawings, even acting out a scene
I get setudents excited about the course by telling real life stories that relate to the course and by having other professionls from the field come in and shre some of their experiences as well. When i have others come in i try to make it other staff members because this shows the students good teamwork and it is someone that they probably already know, and value their opnion. I also like to try to incorporiate games into the learning system that way even if it is just lecture material they have a different outlet for f=recieving the information than jsut me talking to them.
Hi Markesha,
You need to develop a PowerPoint for Day 1 detailing the purpose of the course, why they are enrolled in the course, benefits of taking the course, jobs from mastering the course, etc. We do this at my institution, and students quickly see WHY they are taking the course.
Patricia
I agree, I like to use examples from the field and I am excited about what I teach, I teach Motorcycle electrical and during demonstrations I like to give examples of what the customer may complain about and the best method of diagnosis, during some of these demos I get shocked by the ignition system, which I think gives them a laugh and it keeps them interested.
I like to ask the students a question that will require them to think about what is going to be taught in the class in order to give a good/correct answer to the question. I try and make it as close to a real life situation as I can without violating HIPAA.
Example: In EKG class I ask “Why would a Doctor want you to do an EKG?â€
Hi William,
I like how you let your students dive in on Day 1. Students are ready to put book theory to full use, and when we feel they are ready, we should let them have at it.
Patricia
I try and make correlations for my students about how information used in the course is transferable to their primary field of study. My courses tend to be required and that makes engagement difficulat at times. I also try and apply the content to daily life examples for the students. I also let them know at despite the face I am the teacher that this is their classroom and that I welcome them to take some charge over their own learning. As adults they seem to enjoy feeling empowered. Can you think of any other methods of promoting excitment about a course that students are required yet not neccessarily interested in taking?
I teach in a healthcare clinical setting in a hospital. By the time students get to my site they are usuually ready to take the theory and put it to use in a live workplace setting. I always try to get them working with patients on the first day. The sense of accomplishment this gives them and knowing they can do it gets them really excited about entering this profession
Hi Marshall,
I hear the excitement in your voice through your response! I can tell that you incoporate fun in your class while focusing on academics as well. A perfect blend is to have fun while learning.
Patricia
I have found that students feed off my enthusiasm. On the first day of class, I arrive early, usually about thirty minutes early. I greet students as they enter the classroom.
The course begins with me handing out a well-prepared course syllabus. I do not used a "canned" course syllabus, but rather customize it for my General Education class. Students always comment on the format / style of my syllabus. They immediately recognize that it is not one of the "canned" syllabi that they are so accustomed to seeing at my college. This does a lot in terms of generating excitement.
Next, students are engaged in several ice breaker activities. I usually play Human Bingo with my classes because it gets students mingling. I have several other ice breaker activities that help build classroom rapport and climate.
As an instructor, I incorporate a lot of active learning strategies. Students are always being mixed up for small group and cooperative learning activities. This also has the added benefit of engaging students into the course curriculum which obviously helps them get excited about the various course content areas. Through the use of active learning strategies, students begin to see me as a facilitator or their learning; these activities are designed to encourage their active participation in the learning process.
I teach either a two or four hour block class. It is, therefore, imperative that I vary the activities and tempo of the class. As a professional, I understand how to package a class and its course content to maximize the students' excitement and my effectiveness. Students seem to really appreciate my extra efforts to engage them. This is consistently noted on my evaluations from students.
Another strategy that works is making the connection between my subject matter (General Education coures such as English, Literature, and Speech) and how it will apply to my students' professional career. Establishing these connections helps students understand the value of the course and its content. Therefore, whenever possible I make real world connections for my students.
This is an interesting question, however. I have not stopped to think about how I get students excited about General Education courses in quite a while. I think I have come to the place where I instinctively accomplish this. My personality is such that I stay pretty excited and students feed off of my passion.
Jackie
I always get my students laughing with alot of humor and move about the class and stand sort of close to each student with smiles and tell them everyone in here can accomplish this class with great expectations. YOU will enjoy this class won't you. And get them laughing and then go over the syllabus and tell them, this will be a fun class for all of you.
