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Ask a question from your peers to help you in your professional work. Seek different points of view on a topic that interests you. Start a thought-provoking conversation about a hot, current topic. Encourage your peers to join you in the discussion, and feel free to facilitate the discussion. As a community of educators, all members of the Career Ed Lounge are empowered to act as a discussion facilitator to help us all learn from each other.

Implementing Instructions

As an instructor you have to make sure you teach to accommodate every learning style within your classroom. All students do not learn the same. You have those that are auditory, kinesthetic and visual learners and if you do not teach to all learning styles you will leave some students behind.

First Impressions

When students walk into your class on the first day whether they are younger or older, they are nervous and have no idea what to expect. As the instructor it is your job to make them feel like your classroom is a safe environment for them to learn and they should feel comfortable enough to ask questions and be themselves as it will help them relax more

Engaged Learning

Over the years I have become a huge fan of engaged learning. I find that attendance improves when students aren't tied to a chair for lecture and retention of subject matter increases. I would suggest fine development of engaged teaching skills to all new instructors.

First Impressions

Setting the stage on day 1 is essential for classroom success. Students must feel comfortable that you are the correct person to be in front of the classroom as the subject matter expert. By establishing your expectations and classroom policies on day 1 you are also setting your students up for success. Failure to establish, can result in a classroom environment that is not ideal for learning.

How do you plan your instruction to accommodate the different learning

To accommodate different learning styles, my first approach is to learn and understand the different learning styles of each student in my class. I try to decipher if there is one predominant learning style that I can plan my instruction around. If there is, then I will tailor my instruction to that specific learning style. Otherwise, I will plan to incorporate different instructional methods and technologies to accommodate all the learning styles in my class. Finally, I make my students aware of different learning styles and the reasons why I use a variety of instructional methods in my class. I warn my students that there will be some learning experiences that are not beneficial to them but to be patient and have an open mind because each classmate/student learns differently and has different learning styles. I believe that if students understand the different learning styles, they can appreciate the styles that are not as beneficial to them.

Topics best suited for slipped classroom

Typically, which subjects are best suited for a flipped classroom? Percentage of book work versus hands on work? I teach massage which by its very nature much more hands on than many other courses.

Measurable Objectives

I have found that when an instructor sets measurable objectives that clearly define the student learning, students tend to be more engaged in the learning process. I have used my objectives to show students who may be struggling that they have in fact learned new material as they are able to meet the daily objectives of the course. This is a great motivator for the struggling student.

Creative Syllabus

As a student I found the syllabus to be a huge component of getting started and settled in classes each semester. Some were simply bullet points of information, and others did convey some "personality" of the instructor. Does anyone have suggestions as to somewhat creative ways to make their syllabus stand out that has worked in the past?

Why is a positive first impression important when starting a new class

A positive first impression is imperative when starting a new class. A positive first impression sets the tone for the class and establishes an immediate rapport for the students. Without this positive first impression, it may be difficult to motivate students to learn as the semester progresses. The first impression sets the tone for the semester and creates the initial expectations for the class. A negative first impression will surely create animosity within the students and not allow for an environment conducive for learning. This positive first impression instills trust that the students need in the instructor to allow for a positive learning environment and classroom.

Motivation

I have found that over the years of working in the Career Technical education sector, many of my students count on us to be their motivator. I find this to be one of the most essential tools for an instructor in this field. the lack of outside support to complete their program can often influence the student to give up when the going gets tough. By motivating our students, we have a better chance to help them succeed.

I myself have Dyslexia

I myself have dyslexia. So I understand how difficult it can be. I have learned to overcome it. When a student comes to me and says they have it too not only do I use approaches they have had in the past I also show them the tricks I have used myself. It also shows them that they too can over come... thrive... and be successful. The proof is right in front of them.

Real Life Situations

Each concept in physics should come with many real life situations. Please comment

Key Strategies for Keeping Students Engaged

What are the key ways of keeping students engaged?

How to Regain Confidence

Assume on your first day you did not impress your class so well (Knowing your performance was below average), how do you regain your confidence in your next class?

Syllabus Update

How many times do you have to update your syllabus in a term/Semester?

Language Barriers for testing

Is there a certain format i can use as a test format to help my students who have language barriers? Meaning english is their second language.

questions asked in a fun and exciting enviroment

I have found that when it comes to question and answer period I have had much success with the inclusion of fun noises and soft objects tossed around the room. If a student doesn't know the answer they are to toss the soft object to another classmate for support. This has lent itself to stress reduction in the fear of being wrong and not knowing an answer and in team building. The student that does not know the answer is to call the other student by name which helps in knowing each others names. My rule is that there are no wrong answers, NOT participating would be the only thing that was was wrong. Mt attendance is excellent and my students learn and have fun. I teach all age groups and this has worked very well for me.

Why is it important to have a well-prepared syllabus for your course?

A well prepared syllabus is critical to establishing a successful course. The syllabus is the contract between the instructor and student. All the classroom policies and procedures as well as expectations for the course must be presented in the syllabus. This allows the student to understand the expectations for the course. Students will also have the ability to reference the syllabus to understand the objectives of the course. This establishes an organized outline of the material that will be covered as well as what material should be assessed on examinations. Overall a well prepared syllabus provides the student with all the necessary information to understand the expectations of the course while the instructor identifies all the polices, procedures, and objectives to be successful in the course.

How do you define instructional professionalism?

Instructional professionalism is multifaceted. It starts with personal professionalism. An instructor must present themselves professionally, not only with their dress, but also with their enthusiasm and positive attitude. Once this has been established the next component of instructional professionalism is content knowledge. Instructors must demonstrate expert knowledge in the content area being taught as well as real world experience in the subject matter. The last facet of instructional professionalism is delivering the instruction. Instructional professionalism defines an instructor that uses a variety of teaching styles and techniques that accommodates all types of learners in the classroom. This requires instructors to individualize instructional methods to maximize learning for all students.

What to do about the student who always wants to go off topic?

I have a student currently that when ever I ask for questions will always want to talk about something completely off topic. Almost every time. He's not being mischievous, just the way his mind works. I often enough say "lets stay on the topic at hand", or "stay after class and we can discuss it". When i do answer his questions i end up 2 miles down the road in the wrong direction. The rest of the class groans every time he asks one of these and I need to move along. How do other people deal with these types of students?