Greetings to all....
In my realm of teaching, I work with two different groups. The main group is conducting training classes for my company. These courses cover a wide range of topics like leadership, time management, listening skills, conflict resolution, negotiations, presentation skills, interpersonal skills, and more.
I also teach several online classes for different universities.
Let me present three ideas that I use along the way to make the folks in the class to say, "Wow, that eight hours seemed like just a few minutes."
First, the student needs to be a participant rather than a spectator. Just like in a sporting event, there are people who are sitting in the stands who are watching the action happen and there are people on the field who make it happen. As someone described a football game - there are 50,000 fans in the stands who desperately need the exercise and 22 people on the field who desperately need the rest. Students in the class need to be active. I work to find a way to get them involved every ten minutes in some way, shape, or form. I do believe in the power of facilitation and involving the student.
Another way to help people participant is to use their first names. This works both in house and on line.
Remember, people love to hear their first names. Though you cannot say it over and over, the power of someone hearing their name gets the attention of people. When you answer a person by their first name, they are more in tune with the course and topic you are discussing. They feel like they are an individual and not just one of the group. In discussion boards online, I make it a practice to use the first name when I make a comment about a statement the person has made. This says you are attentive to the person and that your responses are not generic.
A final tool I use in house is eye contact. The eyes tell you so much as a speaker. The eyes tell you if they are with you, if they are sleepy, if the idea has clicked, if they do not understand. Take the time to let your eyes connect with each of the student's eyes as you talk. (Of course, this comes harder if you are reading off the powerpoint slide.) (Powerpoint - BOO, HISS, WAY TOO MUCH DEPENDENCE and MISUSE.) As you look into the eyes of students, they should see your hunger to learn and teach. They will see you view them as individuals with respect.
Keep the group active, involved, and engaged.
Merle
I can definitely see how being active during a training session can make it seem to go a lot faster. I've been in way too many where I feel like I just sat there and did nothing.
ReplyDeleteEye contact is also a great way to connect with students. In addition to your reasons, it helps me redirect students who seem to stray off task. This happens quite often with teenagers.
Your post was very insightful. I agree with your point on responding to students with their first names. It really does make them feel like they are involved and a valued member of the conversation.
ReplyDeleteAll three very important. I dislike straight lectures as a student as well as giving them. The only thing I wwould add is getting them outside -- even adult benefit from being outside.
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