Get Your Students Hired
Sunita, thank you for being an instructor that uses interaction. It is gratifying to see learners who understand and appreciate your efforts to explain you content in an easy to understand format. Keep up your good works!
I make my class fun and interactive. Class participation is very important since they see the value of their feedback and undersatnd the application. Being patient and explaining at the student level, basically easy to understand language is very important and my students love that about me
Using stories is a great way to engage your learners. If you are inviting them to learn from each other you are modeling an excellent example of working effectively as a team, which they will need on the job. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
I am very animated and high energy. On days when my energy is lacking my students definately take notice. I liked the 20/80 split, that is very true. I use alot of stories to keep there interest, and to instill crucial aspects of medicine such as confidentiality, and the responsibilities that go along with pharmacology. I start making these points at the begining of there program and all the way through the program continue to lace them into our discussions. I also try to show emphasis to little things that I feel were left out of my education in medical assisting, so that when they leave and a situation arises they may remember my story, and it will help them along with problem solving. I also strongly encourage my students to utilize there peers for insight, because they might be able to give a different perspective on what I am explaining to them.
So you are able to engage successfully in your own class and relate with your students. Lifelong learning is important in our profession
Students love stories and I would encourage you to continue with that practice, Lisa. As you said it builds interest and excitement for the job when they finish their program.
I would agree with why you are so tired. I also use stories from my experiences in the medical field to try to grasp their attention and feed them with information to get them ready and excited to become medical assistants.
I would want to be a learner in my class because I tend to make things as interesting and fun as possible. I feed the students with information that will help them in the medical assisting field. I use real-life examples from my experiences to draw them into the material. I also can be silly at times and I have been known to crack a joke or two to get their attention.
Christine, you are smart to plan activities and not just lecture. Many instructors do not know how to do this, but you have mastered it.
My courses are very interactive. I do not stand in front of the class and lecture the entire time. I include online, group and other activities that allow for all different learning types to benefit from my class. I try to create a somewhat relaxed atmosphere in order to foster participation.
Stories...that's a great idea for a game...have the students write a story using med terminology.
See, so many ideas. Thanks.
I attempt to engage my students with fun interactive games, however, we can all learn something from each other. People think differently, so ideas vary.
I also found effective is getting feedback of how they would respond or react in situations they can relate to in the real world. This has kept them interested with the topic of discussion.
Melissa Hartfield
If you keep the attitude of a learner yourself, you can learn as much as the students do from your classes. Keep up your work as a student advocate!
I feel you should always be learning...in the classroom and in life. I try to engage my students constantly in class and have them work together as a team - I've learned this fosters confidence with my students who may be struggling. This also helps me gauge how everyone is doing and absorbing the subject matter. I learn about their strengths and weaknesses and can be a better instructor and accomodate their needs more efficiently. This, for me, results in more interest from the students and less test anxiety from the students. It also creates a support system for my students which is priceless and so important to them.
Thanks, Karen. It is up to us to do our part of the equation by being present and committed to doing a great job teaching.
A learner in a classroom has to be challenged to be engaged which means that instructors must always assess if the students are "with them". I too have experienced the feeling of exhaustion because of the ability to perform. I keep the students engaged when I go into the classroom by a sort of on stage performance. It is at that moment that everything else that has happened before or anything that may try to steal my focus from what I need to do after, has to all fade away and I am in the spotlight. It sometimes takes a major refocus and performance type approach, but soon after everything kicks in and I have the students attention and they are engaged. The student will not be engaged unless the instructor is really on top of their game.
Patty, we both know stories are more memorable to learners than most lectures are. Thanks for sharing.