I want to be a learner in my own class, because I was not given that opportunity when I actually WAS a student. Now that I am in front of the class, I sometimes feel that there is a gap between what I was taught several years ago, and what I need to teach now. I incorporate competitive groupwork and "jeopardy"-like games. The groups get VERY competitive...It is fun, and keeps the students engaged.
Wouter, I know you are offering your students the opportunity to teach that you did not have, so that one day they can teach.
Michele Deck
I layer my instruction with repeated review of the layers themselves, while moving ahead. I encourage the students to give the information back to me within minutes of instruction. I believe in review to reinforce; Explanation and rationale lead to understanding which equals retention.
Lois, I agree that layering the learning works.
Michele Deck
I think it is good to be a learned in my own class because the more I learn the more my students are going to learn. It is easier for me to help others when I have the info fresh.
I try to keep my classes fun while learning by use of word association games. This helps my students retain info based on common everyday things.
Betty, having the latest information is a responsibility of the teacher.
Michele Deck
Damian, I like word association games, too.
Michele Deck
The course I teach is what I do every day in the work force so I try to instill the real work world by giving them real diagnoses and procedures. Real stories I feel halp them understand what this profession has in store for them.
I teach in a post seconday vocational school and get students in a spectrum ranging from fresh graduates from high school to some coming back to school after twenty years. I employ a technique called come to the level of student, not only physically but most importantly psychologically.
I try to teach them Medical Terminology in ENGLISH e.g., why are we trained not to talk while eating, why can not we speak while taking a breath in.
I also ask them to feel proud about learning a new language.
I like to incorporate fun into my teaching style, and consistantly encourage student participation in the class. If the content gets too boring or I start to notice loss of focus, I will initiate a learning exercise that requires standing and moving about the classroom.
I make class fun, but I am serious at times as well. Students participate and get to talk about true stories and give me their opinions.
Ghazanfar, I agree it is a new language to learn.
Michele Deck
Tammy, using a controlled stretch break as you have sdescribed here is a good refocusing idea.
Michele Deck
"Learning is a life long process" so the saying goes.Being a leraner in my own class helps me understand how to manager my class better by learning the way my students think and why they reason or think the way they do. That will help me relate with them better.Also some student always have some new ideas to present which are sometimes a source of tremendous knowledge for the instructor
I would want to be a learner in my own class to see if my teaching strategies are effective. I believe I have a solid balance between lecture, discussion, and active learning so that my students are engaged, but seeing the table from the other side would be nice, too.
Innocent , I think our students are a resource of life experience waiting to be shared.
Michele Deck
Michelle, seeing it both ways keeps it balanced.
Michele Deck
yes,and the life experiences I learn from my students never ceases to amaze me.
