How to keep growing as an instructor, despite having to constantly simplify course content?
My desire is to grow personally/professionally as an instructor, but I find it difficult when teaching new, neophyte students.
I would like to introduce advanced concepts/techniques, but I spend most of my time delivering a simplified course content.
Any ideas on how to push the students, and myself at the same time?
i am in the same position. i give my students a list that has o be completed every class session. it is material that is not in the book. it challenges them to look beyond the structured class. this info is then presented to the class and we have a discussion after the presentation. it also challenges the students to read and get off the computer cut and paste method of research. the students are divided into teams the first day of class and they must work on everything they do in class in their teams. it creates a little competition between teams and this of course challenges each and every student.
Hi Gregory,
An effective method of challenging and encouraging student growth is through the use of case studies. By have a sequence of case studies for your students they can slowly move from simple to complex as they complete each case study. You can introduce a simple music situation and then have the students add to what you have shared with them. As their abilities increase so will their confidence so they can deal with the advanced concepts.
Gary
Growing as an instructor will come in time, because you are giving nourishment to people from various ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. The first thing I would do is try to get a feeling for the class to see who is more comfortable with material. I would never separate students due to my assumption of their intelligence, but this will help me give more attention to students stuggling in class.
Hi Robert,
Well said. Nothing helps a person develop like time and experience. If an instructor will use keen observational skills they will see how that each time they teach a course that they can improve on their approach and delivery. In addition, they will keep learning in the areas of student needs.
Gary
As much as I would like to teach my students more advanced information and concepts and many times find myself frustrated at their lack of interest and approach, I have to say what has worked for me is putting myself in their shoes.
It is easy to take for granted how much we know. We are the ones teaching the course, but if you go back to the first time you sat in some of the classrooms and how much you knew then, it gets easier to remember we don't always know as much.
What worked for you as a student? What motivated you? I go through and speak to every student while they are doing research, I ask them where they are at and I introduce new reading materials and guide them. Work with them and guide them. It works better than just having them guess our expectations. Not only do they grow as a student but I've grown as an instructor and have learned a lot from them as well.
Hi Vivian,
Very well said. By putting yourself into the mind set of students you can gain a fresh perspective of how they are seeing the course and then plan from that in terms of content and activities.
Gary
I agree with what you said about being frustrated with students who seem to lack interest. This is something that I have thought about over and over; I wonder why they are even enrolled in school if they are not going to put forth the effort. For me, when I was a student, I had alot of people outside of school telling me that I would never be able to get my degree, it was so discouraging. Even at work, I felt like I was being sabotaged in a way, the work was just piled on me where I'd have to work late hours and weekends, for no overtime just to keep up. But I was determined to make it, and get my degree, and I tell students about this to show them that they too can achieve their goals but it isn't going to be easy. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Some students soak in that info and others don't. But I have also learned as a new instructor that I cannot help every student, only those students who want and allow me to help.
Hi Linda,
You make a good point. I am always sad when I have students that don't want to be in the course nor learn anything that I am offering. Fifteen million youth worldwide get up each morning without a school to attend. Our students have chosen to pay money, select a career and then prepare for it in our college. Why don't they want to attend and do the work? A puzzle for sure.
On the other hand those that are excited about being there and soak up the content are those that are going to have successful careers. The others will continue to blame someone else for their situations in life and never really "get" it.
Gary
I have noticed that certain subject matter is harder to get across than others. It is one that has no simplified version that usually students tend to not grasp. That's when I have to come down to the lowest students level and work my way up to ensure that everybody gets it. I find that the reassesment process allows me to find new ways to reword the material. If available I will use alternative methods of getting the information across. ie ( videos, audio tapes, hands-on )
Hi Harris,
Good plan for reaching all students. Using the ladder or scaffold approach helps to break the content down into segments that the students can grasp and grow with. This also shows each student that he/she can be successful in the course if he/she will put forth the effort.
Gary
