Donald Stamile

Donald StamileCHEP

About me

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I have found dealing with students with behavior problems that disrupt the class to be one of the most frustrating experiences to cope with. My strategy is to take the student aside and listen to their complaint and try not to become defensive or judgemental. After the student has vented, work toward a positive resolution. If you are unable to resolve the situation with the student, it is wise to document the situation and follow your companies policy regarding the situation. And, don't be afraid to include a third party (instructor, supervisor, etc.) as a witness especially if the situation… >>>

I agree with the assessment that we must first look at ourselves as instructors to see if we are not communicating effectively with a challenging student. Have we set clear expectations, goals and deadlines for assignments in our course presentation? Also, we cannot blame the student with behavior issues if we have not first done our part to support and encourage him or her. I have found in my teaching experience many students with behavior issues lack self confidence and need structure, support and encouragement to help them suceed.
This course gave excellent examples and insights on how to keep a course interesting to a diverse population of students. Although I currently employ some of these methods described as part of my class instruction, I did learn some new "icebreaker" techniques to help my students learn to work as a team and see the value of the information provided in the course outline.
In my opinion, the major theme of this topic is to "Be Prepared". In preparation for this task, these are some things to consider: What type of audience will I be presenting to? What materials do I need, if any to demonstrate to the audience? Will I be using visual aids (PowerPoint, etc)? Is all my information up to date? How will I introduce my presentation to my audience? Is my presentation designed to keep my audience interested and involved? How will I end my presentation? These are a few things to consider but there can be many others.
Discussion Comment
One must always be aware of how they speak and act. If a student perceives negativity his emotional response may trigger poor performance just as a positive experience can result in good performance.
Employing a variety of learning methods better engages the instructor and give the student the most opportunity for success.
Using the right choice of colors and music when appropriate can definately stimulate the senses therefore enhance the learning environment.
The message in this module is clear; if we can monitor our classroom environment, be aware of the words we speak (what we say and how we say it)it can only improve the learning experience for our students.
How an Institute of higher education performs can also influence retention: Are instructors, staff and management personnel qualified, trained and educated to perform and deliver the best experience to their students? Are campus facillities up to date using the latest equipment and technology available to students and staff? Is there a campus culture that demonstrates a true caring for student's success?
A good school with have resources available to assist students with any issues they may have such as counselors, advisors, tutoring, work study jobs, job fairs, etc.

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