I find that all students, regardless of their age, want to add some tid bit of knowledge, of their own discovery, to the class.
I love to give acknowledgement and credit to a student who can add to my knowlegde. I get excited when they can stump me and they know it. They then feel challenged and engaged in the search for that new information which I don't know, in turn building their enthusiasm, confidence and ultimately their retention level for the class material.
Has anyone else experience this?
I think instructor enthusiasm is crucial to a students learning or not. If the instructor is not feeling the information that is being presented the student (who may be interested) will lose focus.
If you simply go through the motions as an instructor, the students will recognize this. There is nothing worse than having an instructor who teaches like the economics instructor in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. It is very important to show investment in your chosen field as the students need to believe in their instructor.
Benjamin,
Your reference to Ben Stein made me laugh because he has been used as an example of a very boring teacher for many years. In fact I have had several instructors much like him. Your point is a good one in that we need to keep our content interesting and our delivery engaging if we expect to keep the interest of our students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think instructor enthusiasm has a strong influence on student retention. If an instructor is slouched, unkempt, and monotone during the lecture or classes; the students will feel this and thus decrease their enthusiasm for the course and may even drop the course if they get bored or feel that the instructor is incompetent about the subject matter. If an instructor is alert, infectiously cheerful, and neat looking, the students are more likely to participate in the class and look upon that teacher with admiration and exemplify the traits more readily. Students actually enjoy showing up to classes where the instructors are enthusiastic about the learning content. That in itself increases student retention.
Keondra,
Enthusiasm is catching as you know so this is why we need to bring it each time the class meets. The more excited about the content we are the more engaged our students are going to be.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Enthusiasm for the subject matter is important but also important is enthusiasm for being where the instructor IS, with the students, People know when they are not wanted and students are no different, if you as the instructor would rather be somewhere else then the students will feel that way also.
I feel that this is very important because it keeps the student involved!
Yes, couldn't agree more with your comment. I really can't tell a joke or carry a tune, so I throw in "left-field" trivia facts and try to portion out relevant "war stories" to illustrate the importance of a particular point.
When all else fails, a smattering of instructor's self-deprecating humor, when appropriate, can help ease student apprehension over how they may function in a similar situation.
Robert,
Sounds like me. Like the way you use the talent you have. You are being yourself yet getting your message across and engaging your students. This is a win win for everyone. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Instructor enthusiasm influences student retention because it shows that the instructor feels that the information he/she is discussing is important and relevant. Enthusiasm also demonstrates to the students that the instructor respects them enough to be well prepared, and to use "real life" examples of how the content applies to their chosen profession. Students are more likely to recall an enthusiastic presentation and to lose interest in a lifeless one.
In regards to student retention, I feel very strongly that instructor enthusiasm is paramount.
I love what I do. I am passionate not only about teaching but also about my subject matter, specifically because I believe that the subject I teach can have a profound impact on my students lives.
Also, I am an adjunct who teaches early morning classes. These classes are often full of students who work multiple jobs and are quite tired. If I do not show up enthusiastic about the subject and about teaching my students, it is going to be a long, hard class.
Instructor enthusiasm can make the classroom material exciting to the student, making them want to be involved in the learning process. The lack of enthusiasm will be looked at as “if the instructor is bored with the material why should I want or need to learn it.†This will lead to the student second guessing his decision to attend school.
Sarah,
I support your point about instructor passion for his or her field as well as enthusiasm for teaching about it. The more these two are brought to the class the more excitement there will be in the class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think the simple answer to this question is that if the instructor feels that the class is a waste of his/her time and doesn't want to be there, why should the students feel any different? However, if the instructor wants to be there and has a passion for their subject, that passion is felt by the students and they are more likely to enjoy the course and find value in it.
I Feel enthusiasm is important, but is only a part of the puzzle to piece together a good classroom environment. Professionalism, participation, respect, and desire by instructors and students is equally important.
Instructor enthusiasm definitely has a positive impact on student retention. If a student can see how passionate or excited an instructor is about a subject, it may spark more passion or excitement into that student. It also makes a class more fun and makes students want to engage more in that class.
Enthusiasm seen in an instructor by students gives them relevance to the subject studied. When the students see the instructor passionate about the subject it reflects on their achievements.
I think Instructor enthusiasm is huge if you don't display that in class you might as well put on an audio book. enthusiasm puts a visual exclamation point where needed
The instructor's level of enthusiasm can be a strong motivator and energize students; just as a lack of enthusiasm can turn students off or even make them question if this class is worth their time and effort. As the lesson stated, "if the instructor doesn't seem to care, why should the student?". By teachers sharing their passion for learning, showing excitement in their delivery, demonstrating a fair and caring attitude in the classroom I've seen students more engaged, actively participating, and truly enjoying their classroom experiences.
