ED 106
ED 106 made me realize that just because they are adult learners they still may be in the process of learning how to read instead of reading for instruction or reading to learn, because of their past experiences, we so quickly jump to the conclusion that they have the necessary skills to be successful in the college environment, when they need detailed instructions also. I sometimes may be a micorowave instructor, when instead I need to pre-heat, and bake at the desired temperature and at the required time necessary to make sure all students acheive their educational goals, and be successful in the college environment as well as in their desired workforce.
I totally agree. As a newer instructor, I am still attempting to find the baseline where my student's learning actually starts. Having 30 years of experience in my field and reducing the massive amounts of information into smaller nuggets for beginners has been my personal challenge. Each class gets better, but I still do not feel that I have this mastered.
I like the microwave metaphor that you used and have found that the practical application of the intended subject matter will always fully engage the classroom and is the best way that I have found to teach.
Have you found any short cuts to identifying student learners that have learning challenges, other than identifying themselves?
I am still pretty new to teaching, but with my experiences so far I have learned each term new ways to make each class better. I have found ways to figure out the different dynamics of each class and then have new ideas/ways to teach to make sure it gets through to the students. I have found that it is VERY important to emphasize the key points of why each subject is important for their future career and how they will have to apply their new knowledge later on.
This course made me realize there is more to teaching than just supplying the needed information for the course. Teachers really need to understand how to help students overcome obstacles that students face by understanding their strengths and weaknesses in order to help students succeed.
The material here was interesting and I made note of several suggestive methods to incorporate into my
classroom lectures & activities. I like the suggestion of floating in the room to incorporate all areas into
the instructional path.
Among other things, this training module was very helpful with regards to group work, and how to structure instruction so that group work is sucessful, as well well as providing new information about learning disabilities.
I partiularly benefited how to refocus when the class falls into a slump. I find that after a while students need to realize much they have learned. As this course advises it is important for students to realize how material will be used in the real world.I also liked the idea of telling a story. I have many experiences in this field and like to talk about them with a purpose.The idea of of simulating a crisis and the students use what th ey have learneed to handle the situation.The corner stones of motivation , expertise, empathy, enthusiasim and clarity,all make for an interesting and successful class. Thanks for all the the good instruction on how to to be a motivational instructor.
Hi Yolanda,
What I have seen in the Accelerated ADN Program is that adult students are coming into this type program mostly because of the time factor. They have jobs, families and many responsibilities and want to get a degree quick; but, are not educationally, intellectually or mentally prepared a lot of the time. They sometimes do not have the basic fundamentals of reading, writing, and math.
We had an initial Cohort of (30) students and by the 2nd term, (16) of these students had to be withdrawn from the program. They were not prepared and found it extremely difficult to pass exams, primarily due to reading comprehension and interpretation. Yes, I agree that they are not equipped with the knowledge or skills necessary to perform and be successful in this college/post secondary education setting.
Greetings,
i find that as a new instructor each class has a different dynamic and my teaching methods must be modified to deliver the needs and understanding of the student. Reiteration and reviewing key concepts are needed for the student to retain the concepts, principles and theories and apply what is learned to clinical application.
I have enjoyed this course and realized that a lot of things had place in my classroom and i have learnd a lot from this course like what would be the best method i my classroom in the different situations.
Thank you!
