Understanding the adult learner
As a teacher that started teaching middle school students, it was quite a transition to the adult learner classroom. I have learned to embrace their previous experiences and work them into discussions as much as possible.
My college work from age 18 has been part-time with adult learners. I went to high school with the son of a college classmate. As I worked through and after Marine Corps active duty I
became an adult learner. We were unable to continue full time education out of high school usually eonomics. Most of my students are adult learners.Many have two years plus college work. They are in a position of professions losing the need for people. Adult learners are of the age where our trainig in the trades are their best chance to have to be able to have a well paying career, others see it as their last chance to have a few years of a high paying trade. Many thought their previous career would be their only career.
Some act like 40 year old adolescents and others have a dislike of 19-20 year olds who believe they are owed everything with no responsibilty. Many adult learners have been out of school for years, study habits and school material are 'rusty'. Within a few weeks the rust and cobwebs are gone and study habits have returned. From the way previous careers have vanished adult learners work harder. They know the problems to be overcome.
Jim,
They bring such varied life experiences to the classroom. The key is to use those life experiences in such a way that they see they are valued and can contribute to the class. In addition, the more activities we can use that has the different age groups working together to solve common problems the quicker respect will be developed between them.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Dana,
I was a middle school teacher as well. They sure gave me some valuable experience because now I feel I can teach any after working with this age group. They make me laugh because they are such "tweems" in relation to how they see life. My adult students have many life experiences that can help them be successful or hinder their progress in the course, not unlike some middle school kids.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Understanding an adult learner has been a breeze thus far for me. I started teaching with a mixture an a diverse population of students my first year out teaching. It was an amazing experience I had to learn to relate to all the students not just one range of ages by many.I also used some of the basic rules of life, such as treat others as you wish to be treated. In order to receive respect you must give it and of course showing respect using salutation on first names. Thus far it has been a success.
I entered education after working in the hospital setting along side varies generations I think this helped prepare me to understand the adult learner. A normal class can have students who have just finishing high school and empty nester going into a second or third career studying in the same cohort. Instructors must have a basic understanding of how each generation looks at the world in order to support them. Students just out of high school need extra help in understanding professionalism and work ethics while those working toward second careers need help understanding the philosophy of working smarter and finding solutions "outside the box".
Lashante,
Great to hear about the positive experiences you have had with diverse learning groups. Your experiences are serving you well as you continue to engage students in each of your classes.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Pamela,
You have a great background for reaching out to all ages of students. I know this serves you well in terms of being able to identify and relate to each of their career goals and learning needs.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have taught for many years as a high school teacher. With this experience, I feel that I can relate to many of my 18-20 year old college students. I am realizing now how important it is to consider the perspective of adult students who have already had a career, have work experience, and are now returning to school!
Some of my adult learners have the life experience and knowledge, but wonder if they can learn a new skill as quickly as a young learner. Sometimes the opposite comes along: a young learner is not sure they have the knowledge and life experience necessary to perform the job. I encourage them by explaining that what they bring to the table enables them to better understand how to incorporate what they have learned in college to their new profession.
Kelly,
You are going to enjoy your adult students because they bring so many life experiences to the class and they have a different motivation that the younger students. I really enjoy my adult students because they help my younger students to see the value of what is being taught since they have lived a lot of what we are covering in the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Karen,
This is why I use learning groups a lot. By blending my younger and older students in groups and giving them case studies to solve they start to see and appreciate what each generation is contributing to the solution of the problem. This is part of the human factor in learning.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
In my experience as a teacher, it has been a joy to have students within the older age group, not only are they committed to learning and achieving success, but they make teaching and class discussions fun, positive experiences. Their life experiences and daily personal lives are great examples of acomplishment for our younger students.
Norma,
I value them and their input for the same reasons. I really appreciate having them in my classes because they bring a level of commitment that some of my younger students do not have.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
