How can you motivate your students to see the possibilities of success with their career training?
Typically, by sharing information about your career experience you are establishing myself as an instructor of my areas of expertise and authority. It shows how students can relate to me & gives them sense of comfort of my experience on the subject that they’re learning.
In my class, I constantly explain to my students of what’s going in terms of current industry standard, company’s expectations and level of professionalism that I have to go through each project. I also, mention to my students at the beginning of the course that, not only I’m doing for a living is associated with what they’re learning now, but I am also in charge of hiring at my current agency as well. Therefore, I know exactly what employers or companies are looking for and what they expect of recent graduated students.
K. Boodparset
Hi K,
You are bringing the real world into your classes as a result of your being in the real world. This is real gift for your students as they know what you are covering is the latest content for what they need to be employed. This is relevancy at its finest.
Gary
Since my course (foundations writing) usually has "nothing to do with" the field the students are actually going in to, and most of them really don't want to be in the class (they're there only because the have to be), it was a challenge to try to make this course relevant to them. I tried to come up with examples of times in their fields when they'll need to write well -- sending e-mails to bosses or co-workers or with customers, communicating with co-workers, advertising their own businesses (a comma in the wrong place might mean their offering something they don't think they're offering), writing reports in criminal justice or as a paralegal, writing a cover letter when applying for a job -- whatever I could find to make a writing course become something relevant for them. For the most part, they seemed to accept that and in the following discussion seemed anxious to be able to communicate effectively in those ways. While I felt pretty overwhelmed by the whole first-day thing (my first time in front of a class as the class instructor), I did feel that particular part went well and I've tried to relate writing assignments to some of their study areas.
Hi Dorothy,
You are doing a great job in your efforts to make your course content real and relevant. The transference of application is a great skill that you are developing with your students. Keep up this approach and your students are going to really appreciate it, even though at times it may not seem like it.
Gary
Hello Dorothy and Gary;
I also find motivating students (age 19-30) a major challenge. This generation XY attention span is about 5-6 mins. And they have theattitude that someone owes them something. I am left to believe thatthe students feel they do not have to studey and that the book will open up and pour the information into their head.
Now with the post baby-boomer generation (age30-45); although working professionals they too share the same attutude; that because they pay their tuition you must pass them (pay for their degree).
So I ask where did education take a detour?
Dr. Meers, I have always described to my students on the first day a realistic view of the work environment they will be working at. My intention is so that the students may be exposed to the necessary skill, discipline and professionalism expected from them in that very industry. Is it wrong?
Hi Gerard,
I don't think so at all. You are setting the stage for the coming class by describing what they will encounter upon graduation. You don't want to scare them but you do want them to have an accurate and realistic understanding of what their career choice involves. When you describe what they will encounter it would be good to include some examples from your own work experience that are interesting and if possible humorous. Students like to hear about their instructor's work experiences.
Gary
