Relevance to the real world
This is my seventh CEE course. I feel that the way it is starting it will be the most relevant. (eg: Myth 2 and Myth 3). Upper management should take them to heart.
Unfortunately, many of the students won't understand the relevancy until later. Do you have graduates come into your class to make this point? Their testimony may carry more weight.
Loren Kroh
Unfortunately, many of the students won't understand the relevancy until later. Do you have graduates come into your class to make this point? Their testimony may carry more weight.
Loren Kroh
Ted, I have the same problems in all my English classes. How do you get a group of business, pharmacy tech, vet tech, accounting, etc. majors to understand how studying literature will help them in their future careers?
I always begin each class (Day 1) by discussing the students' expecations of the course and making sure everyone understands what the course is about. Then I explain what skills can be taught by this course that are universally necessary to any career. In literature, for example, I focus on critical thinking, writing, and analysis/evaluation skills. I then end the class (last week) with a threaded discussion on how the students saw these skills improve during the course, and how they will use these skills in their careers.
I don't really know if the students get it, though. How can we determine if the relevancy is understood?
To test on pronunciation I write the words on the board or I give a handout with the difficult words on it and have the students say the words out loud. I may call on a student or go down the line or they just shout it out. Sometimes it is quite a lot fun. We laugh and come up with silly ways to remember the words. It makes an impression and everyone learns.
Phyllis, how do you do a quiz on pronunciation?
I am always stressing to my students the importance of being able to pronounce and spell correctly, words relevant to their profession. I like to have little quizes on pronunciation. I begin by making a list of words the students have trouble pronouncing and break the works down by syllable. This seems to help. I also stress the importance of them making a good impression on an interview by using proper grammar and spelling. It could be the difference between getting the position or being looked over.
It is important for students to understand the importance of course content and how it relates to real world situations. There is a disconnect if students feel the material being taught is irrelevant. The value of the material will be stressed when relating it to real world scenarios and its importance in their chosen field. Students who see the importance of the material are more apt to continue than those who feel the material is irrelevant.
In all of my classes I try to incorporate real life experiences into the classroom. I also ask my students to contribute and explain how the topic relates to them in their view. Linking their experiences to the course is the hook I need to get them to come to class.
I totally agree with what you do, as I am on the same page.
I always arrive early for each class. This gives me the opportunity to observe the students as they arrive and listen to conversations they have with one another or myself. I take what I have heard and seen an incorporate it into the lesson I am covering for the day. This creates the opportunity for the students to apply the lesson material to their lives during each and every class. In some instances it gives me the chance to reach out to a student that may be having difficulties in school or their personal life that may not come forward on and individual basis.
Jane Spilko
I second that statement! Myths two and three are VERY TRUE!
I teach General Education courses which are often early in a student's educational program and as you said at the time when they are most likely to drop courses or drop out of school. One of the things that I start out with includes some icebreaker activities for me to get to know the students and what is important to them and for them to get to know each other. This hopefully helps them feel more comfortable in the class. I also share things about myself which I hope will let them see that I am a real person and not just an instructor. I let them know about my credentials for teaching, my past involvements in professional organizations and how professional involvement can help them. I tell them about some of the obstacles I have overcome as well as about my passions which include water sports and dog training and competition.
I then give students written expectations for the class and let them know that these expectations apply to me as well as to them. For example if my cell phone goes off in class they get to keep it till the end of the class. They love that.
I also have them sign a contract where they agree to come to class regularly and call me if they are going to be out. I let them know that I will call them every time they are out and tell them what we did in class, what we will do in the next class and how they can make up any missed work. I also give them my home phone number, my personal cell number and my work and home email addresses and encourage them to use them at any time. Also, I do call every student every time they are out immediately after class is over.
I also tell my students that I expect them to succeed and that most of them will make A's and B's if they will just come and participate. I also give them my office hours and tell them that if the listed hours do not work for them, just let me know and we will find a time that will work.
I really encourage open communication, sharing and discussion and offer special support to students expereicing problems.
Also, I am alsways open to suggestions from them for making the classes more meaningful. All students do reports on their career area which includes what they can take from the course they are in to be more successful in their career area.
in addition, in Psychology classes, I have students bring in Psychology in the News Reports related to what we are discussing so we can discuss and debate the real issues our country and our students are facing on a daily basis. They love this and we get some interesting and informative discusssions going as a result of the articles they bring in.
As an English instructor, this is definitely an issue that arises in my classes, especially on the first day. I usually address it in discussion with students about when they might use writing and communication skills in their job search and in their careers. I can present them with information explaining the importance of soft skills, but it seems to be more effective when the students come up with explanations on their own.
However, at the schools where I have taught, retention rates are always quite a bit lower in the foundations of math and English classes than those in the students' programs. I'm sure this is partly due to the fact that these courses are generally taken early in the students' program when they are more likely to drop, but I also wonder what general education instructors can do to apply lessons directly to individual needs when students in the class represent multiple programs.
All instructors should be looking at the course content to see where an improvement can be made as it relates to the real world. A lot of students do not put all of their effort into gaining the knowledge that may be helpful to them because they can not see or understand "when would I ever use this." I find this attitude, especially in subjects such as Math or basic English. Even though there is a need for student comprehension, the student is sometimes slow to see the benefit of a subject not specifically related to their major.
