It isn't all about content..
Sometimes we lose our balanced focus of the student as a whole. They must have some prior knowledge to which to add this new content information. Should we get to know the student first, and their interests, before expecting them to engage the content?
Judith I myself fall into the same self descriptor as an instructor. I believe that we should take the time up front to learn something about our students. Some of these guys and gals come with a wealth of knowledge that can help us in the educating process of their fellow students. Also as a guide instructor you have to learn what the clues that will motivate them to learn.
As with Linda, I teach an art course that also doesn’t have any prerequisites and I find myself teaching to a variety of students with different knowledge levels, skill levels and talent. At times it is extremely difficult finding the right level where I should be focusing my lessons. After I introduce the course objectives, I ask the student to write down the one objective that they would like to achieve from their studies. I also asked they level of expertise in the subject matter. Does anyone have other suggestions for me to find that focus level?
I have that same situation as I work in a technical school whereas the students do not have any prerequisites prior to starting my program. The students do have to take 2 entrance exams and undergo an interview prior to acceptance into the program.
My biggest suggestion, if I were to make one to the institution, would be to offer additional math and English assistance to all of the programs. The instructors teach a trade so spending individual time on skills that the students should have come into the program with is not always there.
Pietro, I totally agree and you have an environment that is the envy of many instructors as cooking provides an incredible balance of between instruction, theory and practice. The instant review of actions taken in creating a food item provides instant feedback to the student and keeps them engaged. Thanks for sharing and continue engaging your students.
James Jackson
this is interesting because every classroom or school is different. The goal of the instructor and student is to learn. I work in the vocational setting, there is a lot of hands on learning. Everyone in my classroom is here for a reason, their are passionate about cooking. One could not ask for more, there are many trials and errors that take place in the kitchen, the key thing I tell my student is to learn from the mistake and make it better for the next time. Watching student make mistakes I have found I learn a lot about them. How they feel about what they made, if it does taste good they are happy. If they make a mistake it depends on the person and how they handle it and themselves. I think that the students learn more about themselves and how they fit into the profession than just cooking.
Judith, I totally understand your statement and the reasons behind them. One thing to keep in mind and you can find more information on this topic from a number of research projects that have taken place over the last 5 years but the dynamics of teaching and learning need to constantly change as our student population changes. Student populations are becoming much more diverse and contain resource deprived students more than ever before. Where someone may consider a particular student as unmotivated, another instructor taking the time to build a professional relationship with a student may discover a learning disorder or a learning behavior that needs some additional attention. The perfect world scenario here is any student with learning disorders or learning behavior issues would be identified before taking on college level work. The reality here is this simply does not happen and we as instructors need to be student focused and do what we can to understand the various forms of proven teaching and delivery methodologies that can impact the largest number of students within our given populations.
James Jackson
I see myself as a "Guide" instructor with some tendencies to lean on the "controller" side. I think all good instructors can do that. So, yes- sometimes we lose our focus on the student as a whole. I think it is good to get to know your students and their interests but with caution. This can sometimes lead to a more focus on their personal development- and this can be distracting for both parties. Maybe I'm more traditional, but if the students learning and engagement with course content is dependent on an interpersonal relationship or inquiry- than I begin to feel like a caretaker not an educator. I expect students to take a more proactive and independent approach to their education. Not all students will take this approach though.
James, in a perfect world every student would complete all prerequisites before attending other classes. In a real world this does not always take place. What are some examples where you had students in your class that did not have the necessary knowledge? What steps do you feel an institution needs to take to ensure students have the necessary base knowledge to be successful in successor classes?
Regards,
James Jackson
