I plan to make a greater effort to learn student names within the first couple days. This is definitely a weak area for me, and I know the value in this. People love hearing their name and I do know this.

I find in our program, the adult learners (over 30) sometimes require more encouragement. They can lack confidence and I have to be careful that I am not "babysitting" as the course warns about. They do seem more motivated but look for validation from me about their progress.

I have found that my knowledge of pop culture helps me to break down barriers and form relationships with my students. I use it to engage all of my students, and also to bridge the age and experience gaps. While not every person in class gets all of my references (I utilize both current and classic pop culture references), I am assured that some of the students will get some of the references. I have used this to get some students out of their shells, and to join in discussions that they may have otherwise avoided.

I have had some specific difficulty in helping students that have disabilities, especially because of one of the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. As an instructor, we are not allowed to approach a student with a disability to ask if there are any ways we can accommodate. We have to wait for them to come to us. I have one student in particular who had difficulties in completing computer work (and completing certification tests)because she had suffered a stroke and had almost no use of her left arm. The only thing we could do in our department was speak about asking for assistance in generalized terms to the entire group of students. Even then, it wasn't until her last term that she asked for assistance. This becomes particularly frustrating when there are ways that you know you can help a student, but are unable to provide that assistance. Are there any suggestions on how to help in this type of situation?

Good points about listening, being active listeners. Listening is a fine art, as it requires really hearing, and processing what is said. We listen to wait to give our opinion, which goes against the grain of listening at all. There is a wonderful movie called "K-PAX", starring Jeff Bridges playing a psychiatrist who doesn't listen. He doesn't listen to his patients, his wife, his children...until one patient, played by Kevin Spacey, arrives to help Mark begin to listen. One of the key scenes has Prot telling Mark, "Mark, Mark, Mark...you're not really listening are you?" The non-verbal communication that goes on in the opening scenes is so classically the passive listener. I have used these scenes often in my human communication class when we talk about verbal and non-verbal communication. By the end of the movie, the doctor is listening, and in ways he can't believe is possible. Great movie, and a great movie to use in class to bring in this very topic, if it works into your course. Back to listening, it is so important to look behind the words sometimes, and get what your students are really saying. Listening... and really hearing.

My class has a variety of students that earn a variety of grades - from A all the way down. At the same time, due to the course, the scheduling, and other factors, most of the students in my smaller class all tend to know each other outside of class, and are a fairly tight-knit group. Tight knit in that although they don't necessarily help each other - they do tend to know what each other is making in the class. Because of the technical nature of this course (relating to computer graphics) some students naturally perform well and others do not - the one's that do not - after seeing their grades dip below their peers - seem all-too-willing to just give up. What can be done to keep these students motivated? Perhaps assign a group project? Extra credit to help equalise their grades? I'm not sure.

I find that if you speak convincingly about some of your past projects, interactions with dealing with inspectors and knowing your rights. The students see you as a individual that may or may not have faults? You though are helping them to understand real world ethic's and what can happen when you don't hold up your personal emphases on quality and delevering your product. The students then can help to place themselves into the situations and know that they can relate to a real life circumstances. This help everyone feel that they could open up and relate to class after hearing personal stories.

I wonder how many of us learned so much today, just by reading this? Good stuff

Wish I read this years ago :)

So helpful! I love these topics!

This was informative! It will help me in the future with teaching..

What specific activities do you use to maintain an enthusiastic environment?

Hi, My classes are four hours long. What techniques are helpful in having students be motivated for the entire class?

What are some specific ways to greet each student differently each day?

Adult learners typically have better soft skills than younger students. Can this be a disadvantage in their confidence levels?

The enthusiasm of the instructor comes for loving what you do and also being great at it. Your emotions for your career is shown to your students thru the teaching and energy while teaching

sometimes refocus and do more to keep the students excited about the course

In my experience as a instructor, adult students do well in classes that they can relate to and can incorporate into they everyday life

Occasionally I will have students who resent other students in the class. They feel very strongly that all students should get treated the same regardless of the circumstances. So they quit participating and gain an attitude towards the school and the instructors.

Due to the vast difference between adult and younger students, does anyone have any concrete tactics for very age diverse classrooms? I often find myself teaching a class with an age grouping of 18 to 60, and tactics appropriate for one side of the spectrum are not for the other. For example, I generally give older students a lot more tasks that require outside learning and initiative. Younger students often find themselves confused by the lack of directions, but the freedom to learn and explore is exactly what the older learners thrive on. One possibility is to provide assignments with clear outlines that have optional content, but I feel that for the younger students I would just be better off assigning all the content. If anyone else has tactics that they employ, I would love to hear them. ~John