You can see a light go on in students when using real life experiences to help them grasp a subject. It makes learning more personal and fun! They remember those experiences, and the material that corresponds to it.
I feel that it is important because content changes daily. And Even though we are teaching the class it gives us a good chance to learn new things that have changed. In the meidcal field I find myself learning everyday because of technology. And also because when you interact with other people they may have different ways of doing things.
Paulie, seeing the lightbulb come on males teaching worth all the trouble and is a reward in itself to us.
Michele Deck
Jennifer , it is possible to learn different techniques to accomplish the same job. Some of the best innovations come from peers sharing approaches with each other.
Michele Deck
I would want to be a learner in my own class because I do alot of activities! They may not always work the way I had envisioned but they are always fun. I am a very visual and kinesthetic learner so acting out information or art projects would totally engage me.
erin, it is good to be aware of your styles of learning. It is good to recognize what works for your learners also.
Michele Deck
It provides a new perspective on the teaching methods. You end up looking at your teaching style from someone else's point of view. Students tend to know how they learn best - and I find that when I listen to their suggestions they feel more involved and motivated.
Melissa, being a listener and a facilitator are two very important roles of he instrutcor.
Michele Deck
I teach the same classes. I need to be a "learner" so that the material will still be fresh and exciting to me. I just finished a lecture this AM in which my eye caught two important details I have missed in the past. I got so excited about seeing that "new" old material in a fresh way. Also my courses do get updated periodically so I need to stay current with those changes so I am not sharing false, outdated information. Serena
serena, you have identified what I enjoy most about teaching. Seeing things through a new set of perspectives, allows you to understand more deeply the content, and renew your enthusiasm for it.
Michele Deck
I think it is important to be a constant learner and keep up with the most current information on the topics which one is teaching. A good way to do this is to freshen up power points periodically so the "teacher" becomes a "learner" while exploring new information to present to the students.
Marguerite, it is good to keep the attitude of a learner even though you are the teacher. Thanks for sharing your routine with us.
Michele Deck
So do I Julie. I teach in the massage therapy program and as a 13 year veteran Massage Therapist I have had my share of interesting experiences, My students love to hear about them, but not only that.... we often role play and do skits of handling difficult situations so that the students can be influenced by one another on conflict resolutions and such. Always a fun day. :)
Sharyn, thank you for detailing how you use your real world experience as a teaching tool for your students.
Michele Deck
I add a lot of humor to my classes. I teach Maternity and I laugh at myself a lot along with the students. I also tell a lot of personal experiences during the lecture. I have had the students tell me that they could remember concepts because of the true experience that was tied into it. I also re-read the chapters before I teach them and I always seem to "see" new things that make me excited about the subject we are discussing. I have been guilty in thinking I don't have time to do the group activities though and have mainly done lectures with power point presentations. I plan on incorporating more group activity learning in the future which I can see from this class will enhance the retention rate for my students.
Shirley, I would love to be a learner in your class. I, too, have a maternal child background and many stories to tell. I'm so glad you are seeing successful students due to your efforts to make your content memorable.
Michele Deck
Knowledge is something dynamic; you never know everything and there is always something new; I am one learner more on my own class.
I need to know how I am perceived by other's. When in front of the students my perception and their perception are two different views. I may think that I am great, engaging, dynamic while the class perceives me as boring, lacking knowledge, and wasting their time.
sheila, it would be an advantage to have their view of us. The best educators are the ones who strive to get better each class.
Michele Deck
Being learner in your own class makes you a better educator and improve more
