Hi Bret,
You really cannot go wrong with small group active learning. It is a great approach to bring about unity and full participation from students.
Patricia
Hi Scott,
I like this approach! It has a beginning, middle, and ending.
Patricia
I also like to walk around the room. I teach Algebra at a Career College, so sometimes it is hard to vary the instruction. But last week I started off the class with a pretest and I let the students work in groups. They seemed to really like that.
I use this strategy of let the students know what I am going to do during my demo.Then as Im working I let know know each step of what I'm doing.Finally I let them know what I've done .This engages them before ,during and after demo.I also recap the day before and I talk about tomorrows lecture at end of day!!
Use different methods.One will never work all the time.Give example from your work experience,use 20-seconds quick questions, change the tone of your voice etc
I think it is important to be clear about the class goals for any given day. I like to break the class into groups of five and give them discussion questions to answer. I give them 20 minutes to review questions and be ready to respond in class. I also ask them to appoint a scribe and a discussion leader. The small group approach helps get all students involved in the learning process.
One of the first ways to get an inattentive student is to call on them or involve them in the discussion of the topic. It is also important meet with the person on a one on one level and to find out if there are any underyling issues that are keeping the students focus elsewhere. Also when there are assignments pair the students with other to get the student involved in completing assignments.
Hi Kimberly,
Students enjoy hearing stories that are applicable to the lesson. This is certainly a great way to break routine.
Patricia
Working in the field for so long you build up a wealth of anecdotes. I usually try to insert relevant ones to break up the monotany of lecture and show them examples of personal experience. This adds relevance to the material presented.
I think it is important to be constantly changing things up. I use power point, show video clips, do group work, etc. Also, asking the students lots of questions is key.
Hi David,
These are certainly great ways to grab students attention. We get from our students what we expect. Set the bar high and watch the results you get.
Patricia
I do the same in my classroom. I also include games, such as jeopardy, especially for exam reviews... this helps to relax students the day before the exam, yet is an effective learning tool.
I work the classroom, both physically and with my eye contact. I randomly call on students and wait for their response. I do not let them off the hook.
I usually walk around the classroom, asking questions by calling out each student to answer and use my loud voice which keeps my student also focused. I also call on students to read, randomly. As for their work assignments rather they are on worksheets or workbooks, I have them brought to me for review and write my initials and date completed on every chapter covered and give them a grade.
In the course of the class time I always try to incorporate humor into the class. Either, a short story, a joke, or a personal experience that relates to the topic. Students love to hear about my personal experiences, especially if it shows them that I am human too and have learned from mistakes that I have made.
Hi Garry,
I bet you have gotten better with this because experience is certainly the best teacher in our profession. I learned many years ago if something is not working switch gears immediately.
Patricia
Let’s face it; we teachers are on stage for about six hours a day. My view point has always been that any class is only as good as the “idiot standing in front of the classroomâ€! With a class load of about thirty students, it is a never ending story of different personalities driven by age groups, life backgrounds, and the occasional class clown. If I see that I’m losing the attention of the class overall, I have learned to change horses in mid stream and redirect that days instruction down a different pathway. I use a wide brush to relight interest in the course material and try to capture as many as possible that showed disinterest. Teaching for about seven years now I believe that I have gotten pretty good at it.
I like to move around the classroom, I can see the students taking notes. If I see a student not taking notes, I will stop and ask them a question over the material I just covered. I also like using "clicker" slides with questions, I can gage how many students have answered the question, and students know they are in the lecture so they are watching for them.
Hi Kimbery,
It works every time. Questions have proven to be magical in the classroom. Questions are a great way to grab one's attention.
Patricia
Pose a real life situation they might encounter in their chosen profession, and ask them to comment - make the converation relevant.
