I am fascinated by the inclusion of music into the classroom. The information in the section on music was informative, but is missing a basic ingredient: what music has been used in the past that has the most positive impact on students. I don't want to "plow old ground" when there must be instructors out there who have successfully integrated music into their presentations and know what works and, more importantly, what does NOT work.

I have recently become credentialed as an instructor for an APTA course. As part of the credentialing, we were required to teach portions of the curriculum in front of fellow students. A consistent comment from my peers who were assessing me was that I did not leave enough time after my questions to allow for answers. I am learning to be comfortable with the silence as the students process the information.

Eye contact can be made by changing your position in the room frequently as well.

I have students personalize mnemonics during class. Retention comes easier when it is personalized.

I use seating that promotes teamwork. It is an important component in their field of study. It promotes success in the classroom and cohesion among classmates.

Simulation in the career education setting is the most effective learning for the beginner. When it is repeated and feedback is given, the objectives can also be aligned at this point.

Instructions should be clear to eliminate any confusion when completing tasks, assignments, or even just an answer to a question.

Testint formats play a huge role in the assessment of a student's learning progress. Finding the appropriate type of testing for your individual classes can also be difficult. Being aware of the different types of tests and the pros and cons versus the objective versus subjective is great. This CEE is helping me tremendously.

Alternative learning methods are great to use. Changing your teaching method enhances your students personally and educationally and also opens their eyes to new ideas about themselves. New methods also allow the instructor to see the students in a different light.

as with most classes we have an attendance policy for our students, as of late I have noticed I am having issues with students on this, they are constantly late to class or missing more than the allowed number of absences, I am constantly trying to impart the need for attendance in both keeping up with the class lectures and projects needed to pass and also the facts that the industry I teach in attendance is one of the key goals employers look for, are there any other thing I could be doing as an instructor to get this accross to my students?

I have had challenges adapting to students when English is not their primary language – both assessing them upfront and evaluating them as the course progresses. Several students have seemed to grasp the material well in class discussions - but do poorly on the tests. We have added practical exercises so that the written test are not weighted as heavily - but I feel we could be doing more to ensure they are getting the most value out of the course.

who invented the electric motor and how did it change industry

creating a sense of community in the classroom to have more synergy. Putting student in groups will help promote learning... Is there any other ideas to encourage learning?

Course outline is your master plan(blueprint). A good course outline will provide you with guidelines for doing what?

when you model behaviors such as being on time, good hygiene, neatness, and getting along with others you are demonstrating soft skills. why are these skills essential for the success of the instructor and students?

I think that opening this door begins with the attitude the instructor sets within his/her class. When receiving a new class ensuring that they trust, respect and feel comfortable with you and your teaching is very important. This doesn't mean that everyone will agree but they will acceptance the guidance and information you are teaching them daily.

I have always incorporated a Learning Styles Questionaire as part of my orientation process when receiving a new class. It is a very important component when creating a lesson plan for my class. I've learned to use Power Points with lecture and an outline component. This ensures all of my students are able to get what they need. Having the students record lecture has been a big plus for me also.

Your learning environment, i.e. class is your domain that you are letting people into so that you can pass on your knowledge. You must be cognizant of the fact that no two people are the same, nor do they learn in the same way. Let yourself be more flexible in your delivery style and I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the response by your students.

Teaching a class is like performing on stage, you have spent your entire life perfecting your craft, (art) and now it is time to put it in front of someone that is wanting to receive what you have to give. they are actually paying to watch you "perform". When you make eye contact with a student and you are perfectly confident in your ability to pass on the knowledge that you have, it is noticed right away by the student, the same as a performer on stage is noticed to be a master at their art from the audience. You can tell when they know you know what you are doing, and they tend to respond much more favorably.

On day one I always arrive earlier than normal, about a half hour to forty-five minutes. This additional time allows me to get myself situated since I am returning from vacation. This occurrence happens every three months. I then take the time to study and try to remember the new students names so that when they come into the class I will at least know the name and then I can attach a face to the name. For the students with unusual names I will ask how to pronounce it so I get it correctly. I employ an old memory trick which is to repeat it to myself three times. Generally this commits it to my memory. Many years ago I attended a Dale Carnegie course on human relations and public speaking. The instructor said something which has stuck with me ever since. He said "your name is the sweetest sound you will ever hear". Keeping that in mind I want to get the pronunciation right which I believe demonstrates that I care about them as an individual and not just another warm body to fill the chair. At the appointed time I stand in the doorway and greet the returning students and newbies. I keep it rather informal but do introduce myself as Mister. I feel this is important because I am not their peer and I am attempting to earn their respect right out of the gate. Next the newbies are separated from the continuing students so we can conduct our department orientation. They get a general orientation approximately one week before entry and this provides them specifics about what we do, how we do it and why. During this time I will also inject light humor. I read one time that this is an absolute no no but I find that it lightens the tension and relaxes them. I'd be interested in seeing how others conduct their first day of class as a comparison.