Instructors are human and they occasionally burn-out due to a variety of reasons. When this happens, instructors must refocus if they are to be of any value to their students.
Share good stories during the lesson if you feel like their distraction to provide some break.
Muhammad,
Students like stories from the field because they help the content to come alive and have application to their studies. Stores are good motivators for students, so keep sharing them on a regular basis.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Everything becomes habit or routine. We must refocus often to keep our class alive!
Teaching the same material time after time can be very boring. If the student sees that they will not be interested. That is when you need to refocus. Taking the same material and presenting it in a different way. Having the student present the material with the instructors help worked for me. Helps the instructor also.
TANYA,
Well said. This is how you stay fresh and excited about teaching your content. You are right about the fact that if you are not interested it is for sure your students will not be.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I know that when I teach the same class over and over again, I forget what fun activities I did in the beginning. I usually just start doing what is easy or faster, which becomes monotonous and boring. At times like these I have to remind myself what inspires me personally about the course and pull that back into my lessons. In the beginning that was easy, because that is what I went off of. Then my passion became muddled by all the information. If I make it exciting to myself, it will be exciting to them.
It is easy to get caught up in doing things the same way over and over in a rote fashion. Students change, and so do their manners of learning. Being able to refocus on what I am trying to teach, and now how I am teaching it allows me to be flexible in classroom environment.
If an instructor tends to teach the same course over and over it can become difficult to show as much enthusiasm and passion for the content as in the beginning. Teachers need to remember that this is the student's first time hearing and experiencing the material and it is just as important for them to hear it presented well. Additionally, it is important for teachers to continually research their content for updates and to add in projects or sources that are innovative and engaging. Changing it up will help not only the instructor stay motivated but help the student get the best information in the best way.
Instructors need to complete this task to refocus because of the energy, time, and investment they are making into the lives of others. It also help reenergize and focus.
After teaching the same course over and over I sometimes get bored so I try to recreate the course. I look for activities and try to adjust what I am teaching so that it is new to me an therefore I feel more motivated.
Everyone needs to take a step back sometimes and reevaluate their teaching and redirect their focus.
In my opinion by taking some time and refocusing and sharing with learners with related stories about my experiences or from what I have heard from others will make the class interesting and keeps student falling sleep just by routine lectures.
Simply,to avoid "burnout", Instructors need to "stay fresh", stay excited, stay interested, stay engaged, ect..
JH
Thinking outside of the box with new , original ideas and projects excites students. Teachers re-engage with themselves in new learning ideas and techniques, makes the classroom alive and more functional for an excelling student population. Fresh ideas and attitudes are necessary periodically.
I have experienced the process of refocus before. I agree with the fact that sometimes things go flat because everyday life of the students and yourself as the instructor distract from your teaching a subject that is needed as a skill but is not very exciting.That is when you have to refocus or refresh your ideas or motovation.
Edward,
It is fun to see students ramp back up and get excited as they complete the rest of a course session. They do wear down and we need to be there to get them engaged again as well refocusing ourselves when we wear down part way through the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
While we have been in our student's seats at some point in our lives, seeing what they go through and having them push back on assignments can wear down on instructors. I typically find myself falling into the "Will this semester ever be over?" mindset with classes that don't share my enthusiasm.
One of the most effective ways that I have been able to refocus myself and snap the students out of their slump is to find some relevant and current news article that pertains to what we are covering in class and as a class we review and debate the different points of view.
James,
This is a good point in terms of relating to students. We need to continue seeing our instruction through the eyes of our students so we can target our instructional delivery more accurately.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Each class of students is made up of a group of unique individuals with varied learning needs and challenges. Sometimes what works well in the first term of our nursing program does not work well at the midpoint, as the work is much more demanding. The refocus idea is great for fatigued and discouraged groups and their frustrated faculty members. Focusing the students on how much they already know and how far their skills have grown is beneficial for both students and staff.
