Barry Westling

Hi Leslie: Another great thing about using a teaching journal is that it might help reveal items that need improvement in the lesson prior to the next go ‘round. Also, improvements can be made in both what has worked, and what hasn’t. Regards, Barry

Hi Robert: One technique that may also work well is to have the instructor walk around while lecturing, bringing a closer physical proximity to the student. This is not always a practical solution, and may not work for certain course work. Regards, Barry

Hi Robert: Field trips and guest speakers are a great way to renew interest in the material you’ve been discussing in class. It gives the student’s a chance to speak with people (possibly in the field they are training for), and gain a different and new perspective about the topics at hand. Also, they might get the chance to ask some questions about the topics you’ve discussed and get a better understanding overall. Regards, Barry

Hi Gary: One of the benefits of using pretests is they may help reveal what kind of learning style your student uses. Knowing this may help you create more effective lesson plans. Regards, Barry

Hi Kathi: By consistently allowing students to have an idea of how they are doing in class, they have the chance to make changes in study habits as soon as possible. By doing this, they promote a more successful outcome for themselves by the end of the course. Regards, Barry

Hi Kathi: Field trips and guest speakers are a great way to renew interest in the material you’ve been discussing in class. It gives the student’s a chance to speak with people (possibly in the field they are training for), and gain a different and new perspective about the topics at hand. Also, they might get the chance to ask some questions about the topics you’ve discussed and get a better understanding overall. Regards, Barry

Hi Gary: If using PPT, one general, all-purpose guideline to remember about using power-point is this – don’t read the slides to the students. Unless you’re deliberately trying to make a point, reading slides is the quickest way to have students tune out during the lesson. Instead, it’s better to cover the main points on the slide, and have the students refer to the notes on their own. Regards, Barry

Hi Jennifer: To find out what kind of instructor you are, one might consider keeping a teaching journal. One thing a journal can help to reveal is what kind of person you are when you write down how you feel things went in class. Another great thing about using a teaching journal is that it might help reveal items that need improvement in the lesson prior to the next go ‘round. Also, improvements can be made in both what has worked, and what hasn’t. Regards, Barry

Hi Gary: The problem with consistent disorganization from an instructor is the potential loss of credibility with the students, and the message it may send, which is “I’m not concerned enough about your learning to be organized for you”. Regards, Barry

Hi Stacy: That's too bad. I think field trips can be extremely inspiring and useful towards motivating students to see what opportunities and future job prospects may be available to them. Regards, Barry