Ramona Gonzales

I really enjoyed this course. I learned quite a bit about how I can improve my class participation. I particularly enjoyed the "tips" portion of this course. These are tactics I use everyday in class and, I now feel, that I can be more effective in the way I probe, redirect, and praise my students.

I have questions. Who is qualified to be a guest speaker? Should s/he have graduated from the college in which I am instructing or can s/he be an employee in the field? What kind of education will s/he need? Where do I find this guest speaker? I think having a guest speaker would be beneficial to the course, however, I don't want to bring in someone whose work ethics and opinions aren't in-line with the college Mission and Goals.

New to college students need to have the proper information. Many students have either not been exposed to the college setting or have had a long lapse in education. Providing the proper information may alleviates some of the apprehension connected with college. For example, there is quite a bit of information provided for the blogs we submit.

As with all things, I attempt to utilize all of my resources. On occasion, the problem I have is knowing what questions to ask or where to find the answers. Being new to this field, how do I know the answers are the right ones for me? Learning through trial and error would probably be the learning style for me.

It is said that most people like to talk about themselves. I will try to capitalize on that observation. I'd like to ask questions pertaining to why s/he chose this career path and why this particular course. Another question I'd like to ask is what s/he expects to get out of this class or course. These questions will give the student an opportunity to express why they are here and what they expect to achieve from this course. In addition, it will give me insight on the student.

I believe motivation is a very important aspect of student learning. When a student has the correct motivation s/he is willing to go the extra mile to complete the course and do a good job. I enjoy encouraging my students and could always benefit from additional skills. What are some motivational skills that will benefit me and my students?