Rarely do I assign group activities. This module taught me that group activities are an important aspect for learning in the classroom and assists the students with communication skills as well as a different outlook on how certain tasks can be done.

As a seasoned instructor I practice eye contact and floating around the room. It keeps the class engaged and I have found eye contact alone gives the student the 'OK' if they have a question. Repeat, repeat, repeat. I incorporate as much information as possible that the students needs to retain for their carrier and/or the national exam they will be required to take. Repeating often is key for memory. Also, not only verbally repeating but giving handouts or lab exercises to reinforce key points and lecture. All these skills and techniques took years to develop. This lesson is great for instructors starting out and to help strengthen the skill set I've already grown. Thank you

I have not had to deal with this issue yet, but if and when I do this course has helped me understand better how to help teach them.

First impressions are important go hard than soft.

Planning and Preparation are critical having multiple avenues of approach are important

Communication does not occur unless people are listening. Style is the most important thing.

being very new and teaching evenings I find it gets difficult to keep the students attention after they are working all day and have to attend the class at night for 4 hours

I'm new to teaching.Problem I have is getting my daily activities to match the current syllbus

When working right out of the text book I like the true and false because they have to understand what they are reading

Keeping your students informed of there progress is a big part of there success

Not knowing an answer to a question should never be over looked. Letting the student know that your not sure but you will find out is the only way to go. Better than them finding out you were wrong.

Some students seem to do better in the classroom after they have performed the task. I think you should mix the classroom up with the lecture and props.

It's important to know that not all students learn the same way. As an intructor it's important to have different strageties it teaching. This in return will build the students confidence and may help them pass their exams:

Making a good first impression. Well dresses. One time having material ready and easy to understand. Learning the students names after the first day. Shows that you care for them and their education.

Making sure that I am always prepared having the material ready before class starts. Making sure all the media works. Preparing by rehearsing what I will be talking about with the students.

I deeply feel that it is important as an instructor to have More then one method in teaching. It can become a bore For you and the students if you just stick to handouts. Maybe doing something like hands on or and activity can spice it up a little

I teach at a culinary school where the tall metal tables are meant for cooking demonstrations, although I teach composition. I am under five feet tall and I find that I often feel at a diminished position of power due to the height of the desks. Next semester, I will be teaching in an even worse classroom that has a huge structural beam that is about three feet by three feet in the middle of my classroom, which will inhibit my ability to make eye contact with my students, and create a sense of inclusion and grouphood. Any suggestions on how to deal with these issues?

Presenting course materials in a way to demonstrate the lesson (and to consider attention span) is critical. Studies show the importance of considering the attention span factor (Mizuno et al., 2011). Reference Kei Mizuno, Masaaki Tanaka, Sanae Fukuda, Emi Yamano, Yoshihito Shigihara, Kyoko Imai-Matsumura, Yasuyoshi WatanabeLow (2011). visual information-processing speed and attention are predictors of fatigue in elementary and junior high school students. Behav Brain Funct. 7: 20. Published online 2011 June 14. doi: 10.1186/1744-9081-7-20 PMCID: PMC3126715

My experience as an instructor with over 19 years of experience, management of your class starts from the first day of class. I refer to the terms as setting the pace of the class and expectations.

I realize it is key to be prepared for the first class meeting (and all following meetings) but the first one leaves the importance first impression. Being fully prepared is so essential. Studies on peer review instruction notes the essential element of preparedness (Seymour et al., 2013), Reference Seymour, J.E., Almack, K., Kennedy, S., & Froggatt, K. Peer education for advance care planning: volunteers’ perspectives on training and community engagement activitiesHealth Expect. 2013 March; 16(1): 43–55. doi: 10.1111/j.1369-7625.2011.00688.x PMCID: PMC3607415 J