Barry Westling

Barry Westling

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Hi Chris: You are really putting in the time needed for helping your students succeed. I think whenever students receive personal contact, assistance, help, or have their questions answered, it reinforces the relationship between the instructor and student. Increasingly, the expectations for both faculty and student are expanding, so much so, it could possibly be more than students can remember at all times or in a given situation. Therefore, your "mentorship" or mere accessibility can be so effective in strengthening the successfulness of desired learning outcomes. Too many instructors avoid the time it takes to individualize thier time with students.… >>>

Hi George: A excellent way to get feedback that helps a teacher understand how they're doing and their classroom persona is the end of course evaluation. Too often teachers receive this information as criticism. But in truth, this information can be quite valuable as long as the instructor doesn't take "negative feedback" too personal. Regards, Barry
Hi George: Back up plans help the teacher as much as the students. Good notes, to me, imply the student is in tune with what the teacher is trying to impart. One challenge is that all students are at different levels - so, they may be getting different messages from the teacher. Maybe, even missing essential information. Being prepared to offer alternative materials will be one component of a good back up plan. Regards, Barry
Hi Manuel: This is great! Teachers that are able to adapt thier instruction to all students are among the best! Regards, Barry
Hi Manuel: You've touched on a couple of important tenets. Chief among these is to develop assessments that convey wheather your learning objectives have been met. For example, some teachers may insert questions in a test "just because the student should know this". Although the information may be solid, if it's not aligned with the course objectives, then we've missed the boat. In a way, this a a form of unfairness - even if the student is not aware of it. Regards, Barry
Hi George: You're right! Relating to your students in the specific way they learn is almost always going to improve your student's performance. Regards, Barry
Hi George: Is there an activity you use to break up the routine? Regards, Barry
Hi Brian: Which backup plan might you use at your school? Regards, Barry
Hi Manuel: What "technology" tools do you use in your classes? What back-up plan would work for you? Regards, Barry Westling
Hi Brian: Maintaining an established grading system is usually a good idea. It allows all students to understand what the expectatations are and it limits the opportunity for a student to feel they've been treated unfairly. When grades are tied to student learning outcomes then you can be assured what is being measured is consistent with the desired results. Regards, Barry Westling

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