Barry Westling

Bridget, All of these ideas are great and reinforce the importance of making good first impressions. Good preparation is always worthwhile, especially for students who are the beneficiaries of our efforts. Barry Westling

Kellie, They say "a tincture of time" can work miracles. I think over time we all learn how to be better at what we do. Sometimes this is through trial and error. Other times it's just self determination to first want, then achieve what we aspire to do. Barry Westling

Dustin, Great. With this type of attitude, students are certainly going to get a good experience from your classes. Barry Westling

Stephen, Unless the material being taught is fluff and has no benefit to the student in the eventual work setting, I do not give EC at all. I feel if it's important for students to spend time on an activity, it should be beneficial to them, and should be related to course objectives, which need to be measured for their contribution to student learning. I am not a fan of EC. Barry Westling

Melissa, A good point, that sometimes students just need a little nudging to keep their attention and staying on track Barry Westling

Melissa, I'll tell you, in my classes, students evaluate the class and instructor every term. Even after 30 years, I still find students making comments on some areas that I recognize still need more work. I guess a good educator is always going to be a work in progress. Barry Westling

Clara, Right. We garner the respect, trust, and attention of students when they see we are prepared, serious, and ready for each and every class. Barry Westling

John, I agree wholeheartedly. I've found that individualizing my instructional delivery as much as possible helps those students who may be slower to grasp key concepts, even when they appreciate and see a practical value in what's being taught. Barry Westling

Joshua, Flexibility in relating to your topics and students is always more beneficial than a fixed, stand-alone approach that's used regularly without regard for the the topic or delivery method. Also important, your willingness to rely on others (department head) to share ideas, seek approval, and garner alternatives. By doing so, you are creating better learning opportunities for your students. Barry Westling

Kellie, Yes, going in prepared gives me the feeling of being in charge, ready to deliver, giving my best. Unprepared makes me feel a bit shaky, and I agree that students can probably sense that their instructor is a little off on those days. Barry Westling