Adult students sometimes need more motivational encouragement than younger Adults due to life experiences.

Securing a safe and accepting environment allows the Adult student be open about their studies.

Autonomy is built within all students to be able to do it their way, but this is the reason they are in school to be educated or trained to do it properly.

Being prepared, having that positive attitude, and willing to learn peoples names does make a difference right before the lecture begins.  People interact with a variety of people and being able to communicate clearly prepares the individuals to face the real world.

I agree about getting to know the students, but do not cross the line of becoming their pal.  Instructing in a calm, respectful, and professional way will deliver the study material to the students in a more positive manner.

For some reason remembering a persons first name takes some time, but when calling people by their last name seems to be easier to remember.  Having played football, it was easier to read peoples last name on their Jerseys and since we spent so much time together it would seem more normal to continue calling people by their last name over their first name when first meeting as strangers.

Yes, I agree with having small quizzes and then a small exam, but not a big exam that will determine pass or fail the entire course.  When people hear the words Final Exam together, they can become mentally blocked, nervous enough to forget, or even a combination of both and do very bad when taking the Final Exam.  It’s one thing to memorize the course, but its another when learning with hands on training and through life lesson experiences.

I have had a few students try to bully the class, but instead of accepting their behavior I would talk to them with assistance from counselors.  Talked to them as a group, and then separated the group into having individuals be part of other teams and problem went away.  Sometimes dealing with PTSD service personnel can be a bit exhausting, but after having similar techniques of sitting with a counselor, discussing methods to the problem, then working in separate teams the student becomes more involved and does not feel excluded or like an outsider.

During my college years I did enjoy how my instructors were organized, kept an open mind to working together, and having the students work in partners or in teams.  Having the students exchange information to be able to make that friendship, networking, or buddy system allowed to have students evolve from their isolated High school years.  Going into a career that sometimes working as a team benefits the company better than working alone.  As students become familiar and share their knowledge and experience with their fellow classmates they open up, they become confident, and they prepare to engage into the… >>>