Hi Aaron!
It can be very discouraging at times especially in this economic climate. I will often use things that the student can take with them. i.e. - I put colored cute out hands which ask questions for exam study or stars or any shape on which I can reenforce a cocept. These shapes don't have to be perfect and a pack of construction paper will go a long ways. Think back to childhood and what your most favorite teacher used to make the classroom more colorful. Think outside the box. Some of the things that you make can be laminated and reused.
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
The classroom that I instruct my classes in have colored poster information on the walls. I do not have resources to have color hand outs, but I do change the arrangement off tables that pertain to different class activities.
I could purchase maps to hang up, of the countires we are cooking from so the students can relate to a global picture of where the item/recipe came from. If a color printer was available I would print homework or other reading in color & music is nice at the appropiate times during student production. I can not rearrange the larger equipment in the room but the tables could be changed around sometimes.
I had not thought about using any of these techniques in class. I’m going to try using colored paper for tests and see how well putting posters on the wall with commands we use to program routers and switches. I teach class in four hour blocks, and the last hour is normally difficult to maintain my students focus. I will try playing alpha wave inducing music during the last break.
I like using visuals to facilitate context to physical attributes, like locating where the primal cuts on a particular animal are located. Seeing the cut as a big hunk of meat gives no context to the location on an animal. Seeing the placement helps the student link location to tender/tough and stronger/milder flavor.
I feel that I could include alot more graphics, that would help my students relate to the subject. I think that by having my students see their work, and the work of their classmates, it really excites them, and the enthusiasm shows in the projects they turn in. I just have to show restraint in using color. I have been in too many courses where everything was in color, and there was no order to it's use.
This is one that has to be carefully thought out. Jamie, I noticed that you didn't mention aroma as the text did--I'm glad of that because some of the students and faculty have asthmas or allergies and could have reactions to them! In fact, some offices and classrooms here are called 'fragrance free zones."
Regarding the seating, the chapter caught this well. I can't always move desks, but as the first section indicated, I can walk around and interact with the students. If things are far out of wack--poor use of space, too many desks shoved to the back, etc.--they can be rearranged, but an ideal circle or other such pattern can be more difficult.
Music--well, I don't use an MP3 or iPad or any of these things. It would be okay in small doses, but my music--Beethoven, early/mid-'60s rock, Bach, Brahms, etc. in large doses probably wouldn't go over too well with a lot of students.
Color makes sense and I really should use it more in my lecture slides. Good idea! Regarding other visuals, changing classrooms all the time makes it hard to use posters and the "motivational" ones suggested are, to my mind, generally not very good. But all this doesn't mean you can't have a pleasant, light-filled, and happy environment. Just the limited props have to be carefully husbanded for when they are most effective to use.
Hi Julia!
Could your students use some form of dress that represented the country being represented in that days menu?!?!?
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
Ed107 Facilitator
I have not used color as a learnig tool in the classroom yet. However,I know selection of the colors is very important.
I had thought of using music to energize my lab classes where multiple procedures are being practiced at once. Good thing this course reminded me about copyrights!
Since I teach in a kitchen, music is not going to work. I do have colorful posters pertaining to the concepts I teach in my kitchen. Seating, or in my case station assignments, are always changing so the students don't get bored or too comfortable. Creative supplies? I do try to occasionally bring into class something that is not in the cirriculum to change it up for them.
I like the idea of using visual aids to improve the learning inviroment. Posting motovaitonal saying, around the room, which would change each week is exicting and well within my capabilities.
I may try changing the tables and chairs just to add variety.
I can't imaging how I would color code my handouts.
My students are bright and interested in laearning but it sems like a win-win to add a little variety to the usual setting.
Hi Mary!
Good job! I would think that soft background music would work very well in your classes. Want there be a lot of noise in a kitchen?
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
I often use color handouts and usually tie the color to some significance. I use visuals, i.e., powerpoint, white-board, and video clips to draw students into lecture discussions. Seating is a little more difficult because of the amount and size of furniture in the multi-purpose classroom, but on occassion, I mixed to up to encourage student teamwork activites. I always come with my own supplies and do not depend on the organization to provide what I need for students to be successful. Music is used sparingly, but at appropriate times to enhance mental alertness and retention.
My particular classroom has very limited wall space due to the large number of windows, this makes any sort of wall hangings dificult. I am however, seriously considering peppering in the use of some soft music during the student lab portion of my class. Thanks for the tip!
This is difficult being an adjuct professor; due to materials/supplies have to be transported daily. I try to use seating and my proximity to students during each class. Walking around, while discussing a topic helps students stay focused and if a question needs to be asked from a shy student, he/she is more likely to ask when I am near.
It can be difficult ia a kitchen setting that we use, but just as in creating eye-appeal in a dish, you can create an ambient experience for the learner. For example, I might try running slide shows od different plate diagrams and fruit carvings before I begin a demonstration on an individual piece. It helps set the scene and generate student interest.
Chair and table arrangment is underrated. I think trying a "forum" style approach of arranging the desks in a circle will encourage greater participation.
I teach online and have not been successful in using music due to technical difficulties. The non-copy righted music I found was too short and did not work well. But I think that I shall try again. I think that music at the beginning and end would be nice for my students.
Using powerpoints help a lot for visual learning students, along with doing demos of concepts the students need to understand.
