Beautiful example of digging deeper to understand resulting in helping the student succeed!
That one-on-one touch can make all the difference in helping our students achieve success.
Hi EDWARD,
Great! Students love hearing our stories/experiences as to how they apply to the course content.
Patricia Scales
I relate experiences from the field.
I have assigned a project that I knew the student would find exciting to do because they had an interest in this area, and then would be interested to present to the class also.
Hi Fernando,
Students really tend to enjoy visual. Visual aid should be used as much in the classroom as possible.
Patricia Scales
I like to show videos that pertain to the subject at hand. For instance when we are discussing Alternating Current I like to show them a video on Nikola Tesla. This captures their attention. Very few people know who Nikola Tesla was or what he did for electronics!
Hi Meri,
Stories are really tuned in to engaging stories that are applicable to the lesson. Students enjoy hearing our personal experiences.
Patricia Scales
Hi Kerri,
Students need to know that their opinions are valued. Students like hearing about stories that are applicable to the lesson. Stories really make textbook theory come to real life.
Patricia Scales
I have definitely found that bringing in real life examples helps to engage all students. Also asking for their opinions. I have name of all my students on cards and require them all to talk at some point of the class.
Ms. Scales,
What most people seem to forget or understand, is how hard it is for us to stand in front of 10-15 students, especially to teach them something they have no knowledge about.
Usually when I see a student that is zoning out, as I am walking around the classroom, I will go up the student and ask them if they ever experienced anything similar to the topic of discussion, this usually brings them back and they stay with the rest of the class. I have also found that sharing my own personal career experiences in a light humorous manner, also keeps them engaged.
Hi Shane,
If humor works, then use it! Students tend to like humor in the classroom
Patricia Scales
In the past I have used theatrical tacts and humor to gain students attention.
One way to capture students attention is to engage them in small projects. Have the class form groups and talk about the subject. Then have the group come to the front of the class and explain the topic in their own words.
I share a lot of personal experiences relative to the subject matter. This captures there attention as well as shows them I've been there done that and I'm just as human as they are.
Bring them up closer to the front of the room; I use props; power-point in conjunction with handouts; real life examples of my work experiences...
Capturing student attention
by: Floyd Mitchell Raines
I find that if you treat all students as if they are over achievers and address the "idea" that they just might be bored you can really cross that difficult time in the classroom where you as the instructor are not sure if you are reaching the student. Those wondering eyes might be a sign of confusion but most times its a sign that they have "been there, done that" and its time to move on.
capturing a students attention the teacher can apply information of what is being taught to what the student's interested in. making a coralation between the new information and how it applies to what they really want to do.
I always try to start class with an attention getter- that way even the most un attentive student will be intrigued.
One way that I capture the attention of inattentive students is to incorporate review games after covering a certain portion of the material. We play games like Bingo and Jeopardy as a way to review core concepts for exam preparation. There are several templates for these games that can be found online that make it easy for instructors to use these games to keep their students engaged. Also, by assigning group projects, the inattentive student must be engaged or they will let their group members down if they don't participate and do their part.
Hi Rich,
Our students truly have a lot going on outside of school. We have to let our students know that we genuinely care about them.
Patricia Scales
