Barry Westling

Hi Edward, It's a simple idea but a difficult task to match the best learning media to the course content being taught. Working with limited resources is also a challenge many instructors deal with. The best media is the collection that best teaches this group of students in this class at this time. It varies each time. Barry Westling

Hi Jonathan, I like all these uses, and they're practical and useful. The other thing about a journal is a teacher can customize it to fit their particular needs and/or notetaking style. Barry Westling

Hi Jeannette, Good, realistic sentiment. I like your assumption of responsibility to your students. But you're right, we owe it to our students what we can provide to get them job ready. Barry Westling

Hi Jeannette, Right. I think that "imagination" point is very asute. Students often have only vague ideas about what the fulness of their career provides. A good field trip can open the students eyes to opportunties or provide hope for a better life...if they can imagine it, they canj make it happen. Barry Westling

Hi Robert, And as we all know, perception is the students reality. One way to work with both strengths and weaker aspects is to be sincere. An authenic person that displays they are genuine can overcome weaker aspects in their personality or instructional delivery style. Barry Westling

Hi Zeina, Right. When we are self assured, that helps instill confidence in the students. They have to beieve we can transition them from where they're at to where they need to get to. Barry Westling

Hi Robert, I think when student truely believe we care about them, they will try harder. This is so simple yet so effective, and unfortunately not always practiced. Barry Westling

Hi Jeanie, As teachers, we are leaders to our students. We may lead by example, but we also have a responsibility to them to be on time (or early), be available, be approachable, and also, in the process, demonstrate caring, kindness, and the encouragement that suggests we care about the students success. Preparation and delivery in an organized fashion assists making this impression on them. They will see we care. Barry Westling

Hi Debra, Nothing better than a good example. Even bad examples can be instructive, as in "you don't want to be like that guy, right?" Barry Westling

Hi Debra, I think you're doing a great courtesy to your students when you precede field trips or guest speakers for questions or observations for students to look for. It's interesting that even beginning students can be good at critiquing what's good and what stands out as less than professional of poor examples of workmanship in practice. I tell students you can "just get by or you can fly! Which type do you want to exemplify?". Good field trips can help sort these questions out in the minds of the students. Barry Westling