Jason NormanCHEP

There were some ups and downs with the course, mostly ups. I had an issue with the question of letting students create a gripe session without an outcome. That was marked as a true statement, but the fact that the question asked if a situation without an outcome could be effective told me that it was a false statement. Also, the suggestion of taking photos of students at the beginning of class seemed a bit strange. Perhaps it's because that I'm a male instructor who spends quite a bit of time at a nursing school (i.e., majority female students), but… >>>

In employment as diverse as teaching, which requires interacting with people from more backgrounds and walks of life than many of us had any idea existed, focusing on the soft skills of dealing with people is integral. As with critical thinking, this course helped us focus on what we have seen and probably used in the past (whether we realized it or not) so that we can carry it through to the future, where it's sure to develop. This is very important, especially on the first day of class, when we rely on certain soft skills to make a first… >>>

It's nice to find out what we can do for stressors that we can't eliminate. I think some people -- and I've been one -- looks at certain situations and say, "If I can't get rid of it, I'll just learn to live with it." This test showed what to do in those situations -- about reduction, rather than removal. 

Through the three courses I have taken, I have learned a great deal about how small adjustments in an individual's teaching style can end up making a huge difference in the effectiveness of an instructor. I have used the "floating" technique in my teaching styles, but not to the extent that this lesson says it should be used. Other small things can make a large difference

I have always prided myself on getting graded assignments back to students at maximum speed, and this course re-emphasized that. The quicker we get information back to students, the more apt and able they are to use it in future assignments, in our current classes and the future.

As a teacher who is apt to get a brand new set of students every five weeks, getting off to a good start with them is integral. I will utilize the techniques learned in this class to help make a strong first impression with those that do not know me. Also, as an English teacher, students may not see the importance of the course, an all-too-common problem that Gen. Ed. instructors face. Strong first impressions will help us in that regard as well.