Drawing on Students' Life Experiences
Students' life experiences often contain elements that parallel class subject matter. Introducing the concept of electricity, one teacher asked "have you even walked across a rug and gotten a spark when you touched something metal?" Another teacher started a lesson on Taking a Patient History with the question: "What's the first thing you're asked to do when you go to a doctor's office for the first time?".
By linking coursework to student life experiences it not only involves them, but makes the class more meaningful.
Hi Fred,
Excellent example of tying in student life experiences with the class. As you well know many non-traditional students are very nervous about their potential for success when entering the classroom for the first time. By you pulling upon their life experiences you are setting them at ease and helping them to become grounded in the class. In addition, you are developing rapport with them which will go a long way in keeping them in school.
Good comments.
Gary
To add, I often use such illustrations to highlight ideas in class. Use of such illustrations can make sense of material completely foreign to the students. One challege is to always come up with new illustrations since the ones you used in earlier cohorts may not be applicable to the students in your present cohort.
This sounds like a good idea to me too. I agree that it will make the learning more meaningful. All of these students come with different experiences. It will help all of us learn as a group and also get to know one another.
