Maintaining student interest
To manage a class effectively an instructor needs to have a wide variety of learning activities and real life expierences to offer to keep the interest and focus of students.
Hi Michael,
The instructor has to be in full control and keeping students active and interested are ways to help maintain control.
Patricia
By having a wide variety of learning activities an instructer will be able to engage students with various learning skill sets.
I have that adding personal experiences that deal with the subject adds interest.
Hi Betty,
Students enjoy hearing about stories/experiences that are applicable to the lesson. Practical experience is definitely a plus to utilize while teaching.
Patricia
I have worked in my field for 8 years-and now that I am teaching it-I use all of my real life experiences...the students see me not only as an instructor, but respect the fact that I have been in that field and can relate to what they will see and deal with. I bring in doctors I used to work for as guest speakers and the students respond with great interest. I love showing them the correlation between what I am teaching and how they will use it out in the field.
Hi Elinore,
Oh how fortunate your students are! There is nothing like learning from someone who has worked in the field. Experience is the best teacher. I know your students look forward to coming to your class.
Patricia
This is so true. What makes the class memorable is it's relevance to the real world and including a wide variety of real life experiences does just that. I have taught for over 35 years and I find this to be one area that is often overlooked, and I, personally, feel that it is one of the most important. Well said!
Hi Perry,
Students automatically draw to the subject matter when applicable stories and work can be utilized in their profession.
Patricia
As many of the respondants have touched on, making the material relevant and interesting to the students is one of my primary tools. Once I establish their responsibilities as students, reminding them that their success is ultimately up to them and what they are willing to contribute, I draw on my personal experiences to make sometimes complex and confusing information more intuitive. As adult learners, most of my students have a fair amount of real world experience that they can relate the material to. I merely help them process them material in ways that they might retain.
Hi Demian,
I let my students know up front that they get out of the course what they put into the course, however I do my due diligence to encourage my students and keep them focused and motivated.
Patricia
