Seeking advice for teaching

[HF63]

I hope that we have some teacher's on this board and will like to share your teaching experiences.

Can share some of your thoughts regarding your experience as a teacher or professor. What is it that you like about the current system and if given a magic stick what will you change.

I was a real bad student when I was young and really hated school and memorizing all that stuff just for test.

I was basically a real late bloomer and started to like school when I came upon the military teaching way. The students are thought in class room, follow by a field exercise in which students must apply the concept, follow by a review.

Please share some of your thoughts, I am getting ready to open a teaching lab as my main hobby once I retire.

 

[piranha]

As someone that has been teaching for quite some time, there are a few beliefs that I have about the educational system. The main one being that kids today are not that much different than kids 20 years ago when I started. Kids are looking for 4 main things from teachers. #1... that you know your subject matter, #2... that you give effort in and out of the classroom (grade stuff/return emails in a timely manner, be prepared, etc...) if you expect them to give effort., #3... that you make the class "entertaining" and educational at the same time, and #4... that you realize students have lives outside of your classroom and express genuine concern when they approach you regarding something that may be going on in their lives. If you do those 4 things, you will be an effective teacher and most students (regardless of socioeconomic status, age, or the methods you use to try to educate them) will benefit from having had you as a teacher.

 

[growing_older]

I was not a full-time teacher in a children's classroom, but I worked as a teacher in professional (corporate) classes teaching engineers new techniques and products. I have also spent a lot of time as an observer and volunteer in children's classrooms at all levels. One of the most striking thing I've seen at all levels is that people learn in very different ways. Some like to see an explanation how how things work, some like to hear the same explanation, some do better with both, some need to do some kind of hands-on activity to illustrate the point or even "invent" the concept for themselves by being confronted with a problem that needs the concept to be solved. Probably other modes I haven't listed here (like your learn-do-review). It's impossible for a teacher to teach all of these ways and not have some students drifting, so they end up compromising. The larger the class the greater chance there are students who need different treatment, but when you teach in the way that reaches those students, the other students who already got the lesson are bored. The best teachers supply creative outlets for the students to keep them from drifting, while continuing to teach with different methods until the entire class understands. Not easy.

 

[piranha]

As far as what I'd change? Get rid of all the silly meetings they make teachers attend. I have to miss class with my students somewhere between 10 and 20 times per school year for "professional development". On these days, students have substitute teachers that have no knowledge of the curriculum that I would love for them to be able to execute... therefore most of the time those days are wasted. I would much rather be in my classroom with my students, yet I'm not given the option in every single case... they're mandatory for all teachers where I'm from. The bottom line: Me attending those days is a big waste of my time... and the students time.

 

[HF63]

I was not a full-time teacher in a children's classroom, but I worked as a teacher in professional (corporate) classes teaching engineers new techniques and products. I have also spent a lot of time as an observer and volunteer in children's classrooms at all levels. One of the most striking thing I've seen at all levels is that people learn in very different ways. Some like to see an explanation how how things work, some like to hear the same explanation, some do better with both, some need to do some kind of hands-on activity to illustrate the point or even "invent" the concept for themselves by being confronted with a problem that needs the concept to be solved. Probably other modes I haven't listed here (like your learn-do-review). It's impossible for a teacher to teach all of these ways and not have some students drifting, so they end up compromising. The larger the class the greater chance there are students who need different treatment, but when you teach in the way that reaches those students, the other students who already got the lesson are bored. The best teachers supply creative outlets for the students to keep them from drifting, while continuing to teach with different methods until the entire class understands. Not easy.

I do agree that we all learned in different ways. Many times the leader's of the field exercise where the students that seem to be bored or at sleep at times. My primary goal is to teach the students that are not doing well under the current system and hopefully rescue some of them from dropping out of school.

 

[healthyandfun]

Agree with everything from the previous posters! * I loved teaching! *Turning on kids to learning, sparking their curiosity, hooking them on the perfect book was what made my decision to teach a joy over my career. * The downside is an alarming increase in petty complaints by demanding, unrealistic, high maintenance parents which can sap energy and take immense amounts of time. *Clear boundaries and expectations *are a must as well as well defined lines of communication. *Will the computer lab be for older students or those in the military? *Give a few details to flesh out exactly what you will be doing. *

 

[HF63]

I am hoping that it will be more than just a computer lab.


More like an exploratory lab, no topic will be out.


After I teach a concept, I like for my students to know how it works, how it can be manipulated, and have a basic concept of cost analyzes.


Thanks for the replies and the advice!!!