Organization

1. Organization Organizing your class to make managing easier

2. Creating a “warm” environment • Sandra Allen from Columbia College Chicago has identified three aspects that she deems as key to creating a “warm” climate for learning: • (1) The teacher’s praise or approval • (2) Enthusiasm for and use of students’ own ideas; • (3) Teacher-student interaction.

3. Praise • Offer constructive criticism followed by praise. If a student feels too beaten down about the work they’ve handed in, his or her confidence will diminish. • Always follow up a negative with a positive to keep the lines of communication open. • Studies show that students want specifics about their performance—not bland, ambiguous feedback, which can actually disrupt student learning.

4. Enthusiasm • Valuing student contributions • Enthusiasm for and use of students’ own ideas is contagious. • Providing concrete evidence of valuing a student’s different approach makes all students more attentive and cooperative.

5. Four techniques used to generate enthusiasm for student ideas. 1. Acknowledge what students contribute to the discussion. 2.Modify or rephrase the ideas into concepts that serve as springboards to new (or upcoming) material. 3. Compare student ideas by connecting the dots between their thoughts. 4. Summarize what was said by an individual or group of students, stating how it applies to the course content.

6. Interaction • Characteristics of successful student-teacher interactions include: • verbal techniques that hold student interest and, • your physical gestures or movements • Remember: body language is part of a professor’s message. • Moving around also gives you the opportunity to see what’s going on behind those laptops and with those cell phones

7. Combining The Three • Creates a motivational force in the classroom • Improves teaching • Improves management issues • Improves learning outcomes

8. Discipline issues • Curtailing Disruptive Behavior By: • Setting expectations from day one • Engaging your students • Showing your human side

9. Setting expectations • Consider moving away from the role of authoritarian • Sometimes this approach can put up walls • Singham (2005) has moved away from a rule-oriented list of classroom expectations, usually found in a syllabus or course outline towards a less-authoritarian approach. • Let’s review…

10. “What do you expect from an instructor who is giving 100% to the course?” • Give students their papers back in a timely way • Give students lots of criticism and feedback on their work • Have passion for the material • Listen and respond to student concerns • Care not only about academics but also about students as people • Realize that students have a life outside of class and not make unreasonable demands on them • Not stick only to the class readings for discussion • Take all questions seriously and not fake answers • Provide inspiration to students so that they will want to change their minds

11. “What would you expect to see your peers doing if they were giving 100% to the course?” • Doing the readings • Listening to others and appreciating diverse opinions • Learning from each other’s ideas • Keeping things lighthearted • Not putting down others if you disagree • Showing up for every class and being on time • Showing respect for everyone’s ideas • Going beyond just academic conversation, bringing personal elements into the discussions too

12. He then adds… • Responding thoughtfully to weekly journal prompts; • Being conscientious about sending weekly private emails to the instructor; • Regularly checking the course website for information about the course.

13. Engaging your students • Planning for Active Learning • Involvement and learning go hand in hand • Sometimes students resist various forms of active learning because they require students to work harder. • Perhaps, this is the very reason faculty ought to be using them.

14. Forms of Active Learning Include • Group work • Peer to peer instruction • Calling on individuals to comment on or explain a point you’ve just made • Incorporating the use of learning technologies such as clickers

15. Plan for Participation • Ask meaningful and thought provoking questions to each of your students. • If you don’t interact with a student one day, be sure to call on them directly they next. • Keeping students active and participating gives them less opportunity to disrupt

16. Having a presence in your classroom • You set the tone of each class • Your mood and attitude toward management, content and your students directly shapes how your class will flow

17. Showing your human side • Reports in the journal Faculty Focus ( which was widely referenced in this workshop) tell us that revealing some small aspect of your personal life has a huge impact on student learning • Revealing at least one tiny detail about your life per class will result in your student’s perception of your teaching ability to improve • They begin to relate to you • They feel that you are approachable • And are, therefore, more willing to learn and ask for assistance when needed. • Trust can be built upon these tiny details