clear expectations. there will be students who try to see how much they can get away with.
sometimes need to be a salesperson for the course
include team work in classtime
Always lead by example. Show them the due dates on the platform and also on the board. Also, show them the late assignment policy.
Use icebreakers to relax the students and always connect lessons to how it will help students in their careers.
These are all things I have done for decades, I was mentored when I started teaching by the best. I do see many intructors making many mistakes because this school has no training/indoctrination program for new instructors, they don't take care of the instructors they have so when someone leaves abruptly they need to fill the seat and a person is given an ipad and shown their room and then they're on their own and without guidance they make the cardinal mistake of being their students buddy. They let the students call them by first name, they give their home phone and/or cell phone and tell them they will do whatever so they pass the course. They just opened the door to constant drama and assignments not done on time. Your name should be Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss and your contact is your WORK email and school phone number and inform of the hours and days they can expect a response.
You have to maintain a sense of leadership and due dates, just like at work, you're not the buddy, friend or teacher, you're the boss, the employer, the manager and you need things done on time. Once you give them the answers, pass them, cater to them you've lost, you'll never regain control and they will continue to be late and absent especially if you allow them to make up all the work after the class is over. There are instances where they really have a valid reason for missing one assignment
You're not helping them and you're creating madness and drama for yourself, remember what the course said ---They will push you as far as they can to make exceptions for them. Remind them that people hire them to perform a service or produce a product. When they are out in the field, their customers and/or employers won't accept their late or incomplete work.
I have always appreciated the first day ice breakers. Never thought it was a waste of time because it tells me some unique things about each student, their personalities and sets an early pleasant tone of cooperation. It also helps us all put names to faces.
I love the strategy of asking students questions to help them answer any posed questions better. I know my students struggle with sharing due to their anxiety about not answering the question correctly. Helping them communicate better can help guide their critical reasoning skills, which will build confidence in their learning.
I beleive it is very important to set expectations at the start of the course.
i think reminders and class calendar for due dates is helpful for the students.
Create a syllabus that has key points highlighted in some way, e.g. Bold larger print, text in a box, etc. This will make it easier for the student to find and understand.
Im learning how to lead a class with a goal in mind!
This information is useful in helping to set standards and expectations for student. I intend on using this information to serve as a guideline to promote student success.
Ensure students are well informed on dedlines of assignments due.
I have been teaching most of my online course in a synchronous fashion but really like the information provided to add more asynchronous learning content.
Excellent course. Students are more nervous than anything on the first day, so the icebreakers and eventually having them incorporate teamwork are great ways to get them to open up more to their peers and the instructor.
ice breakers help reduce anxiety in class
Setting due dates and clearly communicating them is vital in an online environment.
I really liked the importance of reflecting after a lesson is taught to evaluate the lesson's anticipatied effectiveness and what actually happened...what worked and what didn't.
I also liked the video expressing the importance of helping students feel confident in sharing ideas with the class even if they do not consider themselves an expert.
I have always felt my syllabi were thorough and well done. This summer I need to recommit to making sure they are a tool for the student to instill clarity and confidence about the course and expectations.
Late assignments are always a problem in any teaching arean. Reminding students in several ways and on several accounts that when the due dates are and the epectations regarding late work is necessary to establish boundaries and allow for studnet planning and success.
At the beginning of the course, it's always helpful to break up the monotony of rules and procedures, syllabus, etc. with an icebreaker activity. I usually incorporate information gathering from the individual student (for my purposes of discovering their likes and dislikes, how they learn best, etc.) as well as team activities so they can get to know each other better. When students participate in team building activities, I am observing which students step up as leaders and which students shy away from the activity. I like the idea of color-coding the pages. I use different fonts and font sizes for emphasis on my syllabus.
I enjoy learning from students why they chose the profession as an icebreaker. In regards to late or missing assignments, I do take late assignments, but sometimes students can take advantage of my generosity.
