christopher greene

For our world to survive, we must teach our students about reasoning, discipline, questioning, and judgment.   If we do not help our students develop the ability to question the world around them, they will simply learn to parrot the answers of those who hold the most influence over them.  

As teachers, we have a duty to our students, not just to give knowledge.  We must teach how to analyze, apply, and use the knowledge to determine real value, real truth, or real merit of all things they must make judgments upon. 

Collaborative and cooperative learning is the learning of the future.  While we a lack of it in K-12, it must be brought to the forefront of higher education.  Challenging discussion boards for example.  I have a political science/history discussion board that revolves around the Housing crisis of 2008 and askes the student to evaluate two groups,  Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party, to show their similarities  and differences.  How they reflect into  American political concepts like Progressivism, Equality, Pursuit of Happiness or the Preamble.  

Be aware of your students ability to use active learning tools. also be aware that they may be anxious about the use of the technology.  Communicate with them consistently and set expectations.  Help them with time management issues.  Let your students be creative since it is the highest form of learning. 

If Institutions want to be successful they need to make sur that instructions have all the necessary tools to create an active learning environment.   Institutions need to be aware of the time needed to implement these techniques and reward instructors who implement.  Instructors who can get students to be more engaged are a major asset to the institution.

Stay away from the same delivery styles.  Mix up different delivery styles.  Keep students focused and engaged.  

I teach Politics Science.   Most of my students groan when they see it on the schedule.  So for the class to make sense to them, during the first class, I introduce a Founding father - Dr. Benjamin Rush. Dr. Rush was a physician, abolitionist, writer, etc.  He is the father of American psychology, introduced animal medical sciences  to America, and took care of the poor and imprisoned at little cost.  He is also a signer of the Declaration of independence.  I read to them from his biography and challenge them to look at the course through his eyes.  Also to… >>>

Class starts well before students enter the room.  The more prepared we are the better model we will be for our students. Come in the day before to prep your room and our last minute updates. For the instructor being on time is 30 minutes early.   Great students, have music playing, laugh with them, get to know them.  

The classroom has to be an environment that the student relishes to be in.   My passion will rub off on the students. Model what professionalism conduct looks like.  Get them to see that professionalism is a mindset that can be transferred to many different occupations. 

To keep students engaged, teachers need to get out of their comfort zones at times and think out side the box.     Teachers need to show students that they are near, since there is no F2F contact.  An ongoing task is to build sound relationships with your students that fosters their on learning advancement.