Understanding Student Characteristics:
This course has been quite informative. There are many things that I have learned, however, I will narrow it down to three major points that have greatly inspired me: Cooperation between student who differ in age, How to make a student coming from another culture or country feel comfortable in class, and A good strategy to use when dealing with student frustrations.
Assigning students of different ages to work together in small groups permits students to show an appreciation for students of all ages. The participants have an opportunity to become more open to what the student may contribute to the group work without judgement of age. Thus far, I have worked with students ranging from 18- mid 40's. Recently, there was a group activity in one of my courses. It will be a pleasure to see how the group presentations pan out as they were not previously divided by age, yet rather a 1-5 count off to split into groups.
It is an honor to work with a plethora of students from Senegal, Africa to Germany. Many of my American students are in the military and have had great exposure to various cultures due to their travels. It is helpful to learn tips how to make students coming from a different culture or country feel comfortable in class. My practice has been to pause throughout the lectures to ensure all students understand which is one tip within the course.
Lastly, I am no stranger to dealing with a frustrating student and actively listening to a student express him/herself without engaging in any negativity is my practice. It is always my intention to encourage every student to view things from a positive lens, continue to encourage, then move forward once the intention to guide in their educational development is articulated.
