I teach for a career college and have very little ability to personalize instruction materials (the slides, etc. were put together by someone else). I do my best to personalize my lectures but it is difficult to go over the same material without being able to personalize it. Consequently, I find it difficult to "recharge my batteries." This feeling is exacerbated by the fact that the courses are six weeks long, so I go through the same lectures regularly. I realize that my situation may be unique, but has anyone experienced this or have any tips for me to get my ire up once again?

One method that I use in teaching is anticipation. Some concepts that will be seen further on in the course will be introduced earlier through seperate exercises. Once the concepts have been introduced, when the student reaches the same concept in his/her text, the "ah ha" will come. For example, in teaching a reading course, it is important to know the topic/main idea of a passage. However, sometimes figurative language or inferences may interfere with the earlier comprehension. Before we explore figurative language, I use handouts and/or readings beforehand. When the students reach the particular area in the course, they not only find the concept easier, but really remember afterward.

The suggestion of the 60-second term paper is good if the duration of the class is 60 minutes or less. I teach longer sessions of up to four hours in length, sometimes at night. I find it a challenge just to have the students' attention at the end of the session. Is there a way to adapt this stategy to longer sessions?

How would you bring a student back to the conversation if you notice them looking bored and not focusing?

I recently taught Business Law I to a class of 20 including one deaf student. A sign language interpreter was provided for the student. She was very motivated to achieve and to succeed in the class. She participated by signing her questions and comments; the interpreter spoke for her and signed in response whatever was occurring in class. The most challenging part of her presence in class was the distraction of the interpreter to the other students although that lessened as the course went on. It was a challenging experience for me as an instructor. The student earned a B in the course. She studied very hard and often outperformed the hearing students. Has anyone had a similar experience?

I found that students, both active and passive learners, definitely want to be involved in the process; however, academic insecurity can prevent them from doing so. What works well in this case is to ensure the instructor ends each class with a list of items from the students that they feel they will need more help on tomorrow (written on the whiteboard for all to see). This accomplishes several things. First: It is an immediate indicator as to whether or not the instructor got through to the students. Second: The student knows that his/her questions will be answered as part of tomorrows review (providing a reason for them to come to school, rather than feel lost). Third: Chances are that the shy students had the same question(s) and were afraid to ask for help. You might want to limit the questions to between 6 & 10 but make sure they are covered the first thing.

Sometimes you encounter a student that has a very bad back ground. They feel the whole worlds against them. How can you get that student to let their guard down enough to realize thats not the case in the short time we spend with them.

In every class you have the superstars very out going.But what about the shy stunt?What is a proper way to get the student to participate,and boost their confidence level?

Being a 30ish year old teacher I see a different view of both. My question is,is it possible to be to old to learn or to young and stuborn to listen to experienced people? What about combo's of both?

I have been instructing for over 8 years and have found that sharing personal experiences from my own schooling helps every type of student...because no matter how diversified, they can all relate...and most often, whether the experience is positive or negative, the student feels "they too, can accomplish the task...you did, and you are now the instructor".

In the 6 weeks I have my students (two 3 week classes) I use stories to relate to the subject. I have a friend (mostly made up) I call John, he is my "Dufus" that seems to always screw up or get it wrong. My stories always relate to the subject being discussed and usually have a funny part in them...that keeps the students attention. Most of the stories are short and to the point but some are a little more involved. I feel these stories break up the dull daily routine and have often had students ask for a story about John if I havent told one in a day or two. John becomes a common friend to the whole calss and seems to bring them together because I use him to make them feel better about the fact that he is much older than them but they have a better understanding of the subject being discussed. (Which proves a point that I often bring up to them...being older doesnt automatically make you smarter. And they shouldnt limit their own abilities based on the fact that they are young)

As a veteran of a cohort-styled vocational school, and now as an instructor in a similarly styled format, I have found that managing the individual needs of the students for recognition, acceptance, praise, competition, etc, is sometimes best juxtaposed against the group dynamic. ' My own experience is that the most lasting impressions of vocational school are those of my cohort - not the instructors, per se, or necessarily the administration or facility. So, knowing this, I feel I can capitalize on this dynamic by, in addition to individual needs, meeting the larger, and more diverse, personality of the group as well. The benefits, to my mind, of this approach, are an enhanced learning environment that allows the individual to achieve more as students, and the cohort as a whole.

We have had first-quarter students "shadow" and sit in the classes of students about to graduate in order to instill the sense of belief in the program. It helps to show new students that what they are presently studying can get them to their ultimate goal of graduating.

This idea of empathy seems very important in the teaching setting. Students want to feel that their instructor understands their situation, or at least wants to. However, I'm not sure you can teach someone to feel empathy. Perhaps if a person is sympathetic by nature, they will bring this with them to the field of teaching? Any thoughts on this? Can empathy be taught?

One effective practice we like to use is encouraging our students to join the local chapter of professional chefs as a student culinarian. Attending the monthly meetings helps them to network. Thinking of themselves as already being professionally affiliated is a boost to self esteem and often gets them involved in professional activities, whether it be fundraising, chairity volunteerism, oreducational/competitive.This helps them focus their goals and enables them to see themselves as a member in the field already.

One motivation reinforcer I've found is consistency. Stay consistently positive with your class and sooner or later they will tag along. Ask people "How ya doin'" and the majority of them seem to want to complain or at least be non-committal. I have bad days like everyone else but never own up to it. When you put forth a positve mind-set people will come along with you - start dragging along and they will drag with you, and where's the fun in that??? I'm having a great day - how 'bout you?

In many occupations today teamwork is as highly sought after as individual skills. We have many teambuilding techniques (though I'm always looking for more)but my immediate question is how can we measure a students ability to work in and with a team and just how much of the grade should that represent? I'm of the opinion that a students level of participatiion and professionalism should count just as much if not more than their score on some multiple choice quiz. But how to accurately measure such a subjective trait, thats the question at hand.

I hate to resort to the negative to illustrate the positive, but my friend Dr. Bob is the antithesis of the empathetic, motivational instructor. He is a brilliant man and has accumulated vast amounts of knowledge and experience. However, a Dr. Bob class is an excercise in monotone, rote, hyperbolic rhetoric followed by standardized tests. Discussions are few, opinions are discouraged and class morale is non existant. His research has given him tenure so he will probably be quoting the same notes from his death bed. He is respected in his field but reviled by his underachieving students. Poor Dr. Bob. Poor Students.

Have you ever changed jobs and found yourself on "auto pilot" heading for your old job? Or taking until mid-January to write the correct year on your checks? As instructors I think we sometimes also flip the auto-pilot switch. We need only think back to some classes we had in past years to recognize the huge difference between an interesting, engaging, educational session -- and a 50-minute rote snooze fest. Our greatest assest as teachers is a fresh and everchanging perspective on our subject matter. You should have your syllabus and class notes cleaned at least as often as your teeth.

I play words association games and split the class in 2