Deborah Rivera

The work environment is the most popular place where we assume only team work exist. What Students fail to learn\realize in higher education is team work also exist in the class room.  There are many ages, demographics and stages of life persons who also need to get along in a group\educational setting.  As an Instructor, I got a "aha" moment of how important it is to lay the foundation of what "team work" really is even in the educational stage.  the students have the same goal to graduate and level-up in life. 

Critical thinking has been a useful soft skill and often underdeveloped.  What I learned is how to inspire and develop my Students' critical thinking skills.

Motivation by design is acquired by each person depending on the reward.  

This term what I've learned regarding my Students; outside factors take the driver seat when they're facing personal challenges.  Students' anxiety, depression and lack of motivation increases when they have outer world issue to manage.  

Though I don't agree on allowing technology in class; I have seen it abused and disruptive on many levels gone wrong more so in the majority then minority.   I do see the need and advantage of technology in the educational level. 

Students learning from Students is most empowering and less intimidating.  

I work at a Tech school with a variety of demographical students.  What I see is Student's not owning their own education and Instructors pushing and pulling for goals to be met when Students themselves are not managing and owning their own progress.  This is an eye opener for me to realize; I can share my knowledge, experience and time but the Students must own their own desire to seek out the trade they have chosen to be educated in. 

Testing formats are designed to the type of information we are wanting our students to learn.  I now have a format to follow on how to design my tests according to the type of exam I am wanting to give the Students. 

I often asked my Students questions and I'd get "I don't know the answer" looks or eye balls rolling.  I never knew there was a particular technique to asking questions and how to get a productive response from the Students.  

Each Student learns in very different ways.  I had a class where they were visual learners and when I gave my personal stories and how it related with the topic my students retained the information.  On the other hand I had a group of direct listening learners and all they needed were the facts w/o personal story telling.  As an Instructor; I had to take each groups feedback and adjust my teaching style to their learning preference.  I had to be the flexible teacher and respect each student for their learning style.