I like the idea of videotaping myself during class; I'm sure I'd see annoying tics that would be distracting to my students. I've had several instructors who repeated certain words or phrases (I hope they were inaware of it) that I found distracting. I remember one time, out of sheer boredom, I started counting how many times a particular instructor repeated the word "again" during a lecture. I quit after about a minute and a half because I was already up to EIGHTY!! Another instructor never "said" anything, he always "indicated," and in my most recent administrator's opinion, everything she likes is "amazing." Makes me think of Valley-Girl speak - the mouth is flapping but the brain is not connected. As instructors, we should hold ourselves to a higher standard of speaking and writing so our students may hear and see how an educated person communicates, and we might provide a model for them to emulate.

I just made a student mistake. I was reading quickly Quiz #2, and kept missing one question. The green would highlight the correct answer, but in my rush, I did not realize that the answer wanted you to check all that applied. I was getting more and more frustrated because the overachiever in me would not accept less than a 100 percent on the quiz. Finally, I figured out the mistake I was making. This reminds me of how frustrated students must feel! This was probably the most inmportant thing I learned in the second module of ED101. Frustrated students will spin out of control if they or someone else cannot reign them in and calm them down. Each of us need to have empathy for students who become frustrated! Sometimes the frustration is not a case of what they don't know but is rather a happenstance or oversight. Jackie

To start a lesson I have students fill in the names of each of the components in a diagram. During this time I also tend to cover the functionality of the components. I quiz students on their ability to remember the component names by giving them a picture with a number next to each component along with a column filled with blank numbered spaces. Students need to write in the names of the component corresponding to each number in the diagram in the correct space of the column. I will add another quiz on the students' ability to retain component functionality information by providing a list of functions to go along with the numbered diagram and a space to provide the number of the component that best matches the description.

How will you use the memory research to increase the students' learning retention in a class you are currently teaching? What will you do differently?

Consider the following exercise: Students are each given one step of a five step stress management process: 1. Recognize stress 2. 10 Deep Breaths 3. Think of the urgency 4. Think of the importance 5. Work on the right thing for right now. The students are asked to find the other four people who complete their list of five, then arrange themselves in the proper order. The winning team wins a prize. While the exercise is going on, the instructor plays music that is fun, fast and frantic. How would this exercise map to all seven of the Multiple Intelligences?

The intrapersonnal would recognize stress. The musical would meditate. The Bodily and Kinesthetic would have a sense of urgency in his work. Existental would deliberate on the importance. The liguistic Verbal would stay focused on the task on hand. Spatical/visual would think of the importance of the exercise.

How could you try using color, visuals, seating, creative supplies and music to improve the learning environment for your students?

I can try using color to create a positive learning environment. Right now the walls in my classroom are white with nothing on them. I think I could really improve the room by adding visual aids. Big colorful visual aids. I will also experiment with moving the students around and into new groups so they don't get bored with each other.

How do you balance the need to learn more about the topics you teach with your need to develop new ways of teaching and your classroom time?

How do you balance the need to learn more about the topics you teach with your need to develop new ways of teaching and your classroom time?

I think it's important not to put too much pressure on one's self because you may spend all of your time stressed that you are not developing on your topic and new teac hing techniques. Set achievable goals for both within a certain amount of time. If you are reading up on your topic. Find sections to research rather than reading an entire book at once. With developing new ways of teaching, take notes during your classroom time on sections that need attention and find ways to improve those.

Seldom do I know the nature of the disability. A student designated as disabled could be a physical disability or a learning disability, all I know is what the accommodations is such as more time to hand in assignments. Unless a student shares with me the nature of their disability (and I cannot ask)then all I can do is provide the accommodation agreed to by the school. I usually have one or two students with the disabled disignation in my class and can only provide limited support unless the student lets me know the nature of their disability. Again, what I can do is limited because I am an online instructor and have no visual contact with students. It is very much up to the student to seek help if needed.

What would you say is the greatest challenge to working with students with learning disabilities?

What would you say is the greatest challenge to working with students with learning disabilities?

Repeating, repeating and then showing a visual or hands on exercise to really instill the learning outcome. I have needed to read a test out loud. That said, it is our schools policy that if the student doesn't come to the instructor with documentation then the instructor is not to allow extra time or make accommodations for the student. Often I am told about a learning disability but no documentation is presented. On the other hand, I can usually tell if a student may have a learning disability after a few assignments come in but I am not to ask about it. I do then modify my delivery of the curriculm for a possible better retention but it is the entire class that gets the different approach.

What are some methods that have been successful for you in working with students with learning disabilities?

What is the most common form of learning disability that you encounter in your classes? What are the characteristics?

Dyslexia is one learning disability that a few of my students have had. These students have a hard time reading and it shows up in their written quizes.

What are some ways you can learn how to help a student with learning disabilities?

some of the ways to help students with learning disabilities is to have the student explain what kind of methods worked in the past.