The dos and donts

Any thoughts or ideas?

I believe that it is very important to provide students with a list of expectations. If not, most students will attempt to set their own rules. When this happens, it can sometimes be hard for the instructor to control and exhibit authority within the classroom. As an instructor, I discuss my expectations within an introduction. I also provide the expectations within site documents.

I disagree with The Pygmalion Effect. I have seen in class that students will limit themselves to doing the bare minimum in class. I had one student that every time he got to the point of doing the test on a activity he would stop and ask for help. He would state that "he had no clue as to what he was doing". I told him that he could do it and did not need the help. Lo and behold he would get the questions right about 50% of the time. I watched this student sabotage his test by guessing. When I stood over him he would get it 100% correct. I have had other students that I did not think they had a clue and turns out prove me wrong. This method is just a theory and more is at hand in a students success then this. Self Confidence and Perseverance.

I encourage my students to take notes - preferably hand written notes since I am a firm believer in muscle memory. I remind them that taking notes is not dictation - they do not need to write my every word - they need to write what makes/does not make sense to them and in their own words. Sometimes I feel I'm fighting a loosing battle as many of my younger students are very reluctant to take notes.

I found that the information about types of intakes is off. I have gone through these ED class for a few years, and all but this one states "that learning can be down from any style by everyone, but the preference is one"

As a new instructor, I believe it can be quite difficult to develop the right type of test. while we don't want to give the answers away, we also don't want to see our students fail. One method I used was assessing my students each day. The use of open ended questions, short reviews with multiple choice, teach backs, written summaries and true/false questions allowed me to gauge how the students were able to reflect, which gave me a foundation for building exams.

I have to say I don't always do this but, when I start a class with a new group, I always ask them to introduce themselves to one another and tell us all a little something about themselves. I feel this creates a bond and can help them find shared interests.

Continuous assessment of student learning should occur throughout the course. I find it important to conduct a form of assessment at the conclusion of each class session. The reason for this is that if you are building on theory or a concept, your students must understand step A before moving onto step B, etc. If a student is uncertain about the previous steps, learning can be hindered.

I feel it is important that all students ask questions. For those students who may be afraid to ask questions during a lecture or activity for fear of feeling "stupid" I would use notecards and a Q&A box much like a suggestion box. The process though was mandatory for all students in the class. Each student had to submit a card at the end of the class period and each question would be reviewed at the next session. This served as a method of review and allowed for the individual who thought they had a stupid question to ask the question without fear of being made fun of.

The importance of incorporating all learning styles into the classroom is essential for student and instructor success. A successful instructor will fully engage their students with a variety of instructional methods. The development of learning styles can be enhanced by doing so. I think that it is as equally important to encourage students to explore new ways of learning.

I sometimes find it challenging sticking to a lesson plan. I've had several classes that I taught multiple times and sometimes a group of students catches on much faster than another. I focus on making sure the learning objectives are met at the end of the course but I have to admit I sometimes had to improvise with respect to the lesson plan.

I find that, although Active learning is most effective, I HAVE to lecture certain subjects because i just cant find a way to make an activity out of them. Any resources to find ideas for this situations ?

this is a super way to get students exposed to what they will encounter on the job. stidents enjoy this type of learning

Questioning in the classroom is a very important skill to have in order to become an effective classroom instructor. The objectives were well defined. The types of questions were explained and adequate examples were given. The incorporation of research studies added validity and substance to the course providing scientifically evidence based material. Information regarding wait time and bias that instructors sometime exhibit between good students and students that are less advanced was very enlightening and cause me to take more notice in my classroom questioning procedures. The tips provided in this course such as probing reinforcement & praise can be very beneficial and relevant when instructing the adult learner. Vernise Walker Dental Hygiene

The first day of class often creates nerves both for students and the instructor. As we have learned in the module, the first day of class, can set the tone for the rest of the course. Having some sort of game is important. This relaxes the students, provides some laughs and helps everyone get to know each other. I teach Introduction to Psychology. One of the things I do is have a discussion about what they think the course is about. Often many students do not understand why they have to take the course, but after this discussion they are able to better understand how they use the topic everday.

The benefit of developing ones own resource packet is that you can use current material but you have to be careful of copyrights. Create a checklist to give yourself time to cover all critical items.

When meeting the class for the first time an instructor needs to be prepared for class. The instructors confidence is half the battle.

Managing time before, during, and after class is a key part of preparation. Being prepared for class makes you more confident as a teacher and shows your students you care.

Truly being confident in ones leadership is a big role in success. I also learned to watch the way instructors dress, conduct themselves, speak, and manage their time.