Education Jobs

[Haykakan]

Re: Education Jobs

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!!! It's NOT rocket science!!!"
Man i felt like saying that a few times already lol. I worry more when they dont ask questions and i cant help but wonder if they are too scared to ask or if they realy do understand the material. Thanks for the tip Sip, i had already decided to do it all on the board just like you said but this class has a computer part to it plus all tests and quizes and homework is done on the computer so i had toteach them how to use the comp to. Kanada i like your drawing idea but my drawing is so bad it would probably confuse the crap out of everyone.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Education Jobs

I think the hard part is relating the material to the target audience. If you're teaching math, sometimes it helps to change word problems to things young people can relate to. Instead of circumference of a circle, you can draw a basketball, etc. Showing how something can be used in the real world helps students connect to the subject. I thought about changing careers to teaching but I'm not sure I'd have the patience.... I'd be like "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!!! It's NOT rocket science!!!"

[Sip]

Re: Education Jobs

Teaching is a strange thing ... the first time around it's really hard because you don't usually have enough to say to fill the time. The second time around you cram too much info in there. The third time you teach a class it is perfect. And by the fourth time you start getting bored of saying the same thing over and over.

I can't imagine teaching the same class for 20+ years and keeping the material the same. Fortunately with the computery topics things change fast enough that you can grow with the course. Unfortunately, far too often I see professors that have been teaching the same course, the same way for decades.

I doubt this is a problem for the algebra class but if I can have one suggestion, ditch power points, slides, any and all ready-made stuff. Do everything on the board from scratch. That seems to be the only sure way to have people follow what you are talking about. Slides can have their uses but in very limited occasions.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Education Jobs

I think you make a good point about being businesslike yet approachable, its kind of tricky for a beginer like me but ill figure it out. Anyways i gotta prep my next lcture. O and kanadahye i think you picked the wrong field man lol.

I have a feeling the young ladies will be getting graded on a curve in your classes... the more curves, the higher the grade, lol.

[Haykakan]

Re: Education Jobs

In my experience (~6 years) my students have been very well behaved.

I had a few that crossed boundaries by asking personal questions, such as my age, for my chirp number, but those were in Intro to Psych where the students are mostly freshman (the last few years I've been teaching upper division classes where they are juniors and seniors). In these cases, I have politely declined to answer and said that's not an appropriate question, or my age is irrelevant, etc.

I think some of it may have to do with how we present ourselves. If we're all business this creates a boundary, but at the same time students feel less connected and less like they can talk to us. I try to be very accessible to my students, so I ask them to call me by my first name, I make jokes, and share personal experiences when appropriate (e.g. using myself as an example in lecture), thus making myself more relatable. I feel like they are more likely to seek help if they need it when I'm less distanced and intimidating.

In terms of whether teaching is rewarding... As much as I complain about my students, I think it is. We can't make an impact on all of our students because they need to meet us part of the way and put in effort as well, but for the few that will pull me aside and tell me they really enjoyed my class, liked how I did something, or learned something noteworthy for them that will endure, it's worth it.

Haykakan, some students just can't hang. I think college should be available to all who can hang. Some just aren't ready for it. In my opinion, we should teach at a level where the material is challenging, but within reach of most of the students. You can't teach to the few advanced or the few that are very behind. I'm hopeful that if we get rid of this no child left behind garbage, the quality of students will improve in a few years.

I think you make a good point about being businesslike yet approachable, its kind of tricky for a beginer like me but ill figure it out. Anyways i gotta prep my next lcture. O and kanadahye i think you picked the wrong field man lol.

[Siggie]

Re: Education Jobs

In my experience (~6 years) my students have been very well behaved.

I had a few that crossed boundaries by asking personal questions, such as my age, for my chirp number, but those were in Intro to Psych where the students are mostly freshman (the last few years I've been teaching upper division classes where they are juniors and seniors). In these cases, I have politely declined to answer and said that's not an appropriate question, or my age is irrelevant, etc.

I think some of it may have to do with how we present ourselves. If we're all business this creates a boundary, but at the same time students feel less connected and less like they can talk to us. I try to be very accessible to my students, so I ask them to call me by my first name, I make jokes, and share personal experiences when appropriate (e.g. using myself as an example in lecture), thus making myself more relatable. I feel like they are more likely to seek help if they need it when I'm less distanced and intimidating.

In terms of whether teaching is rewarding... As much as I complain about my students, I think it is. We can't make an impact on all of our students because they need to meet us part of the way and put in effort as well, but for the few that will pull me aside and tell me they really enjoyed my class, liked how I did something, or learned something noteworthy for them that will endure, it's worth it.

Haykakan, some students just can't hang. I think college should be available to all who can hang. Some just aren't ready for it. In my opinion, we should teach at a level where the material is challenging, but within reach of most of the students. You can't teach to the few advanced or the few that are very behind. I'm hopeful that if we get rid of this no child left behind garbage, the quality of students will improve in a few years.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Education Jobs

I know exactly what you mean both from a student's perspective and a teacher's. As a (female) student I can understand that sometimes women may be attracted to their professors but many women get attracted by the professor's intellect, intelligence and competency rather than his physics, the latter may contribute to the attraction as well but not necessarily. There is also the financial and 'prestige' factor as well which attracts females.

As a teacher I have experienced quite some adventures during my one and a half year experience that it feels like it's been ten years for me. So there is more to come to you. Due to my age I was more prone to such incidents. Here is some; one of my students came to me introduced himself and gave me his card, with his mobile phone number on, I was like and then he goes on explaining 'I work in this company as a mechanical engineer so if you need a new car please call me and let me know.' His wife was in the same class but she was absent that same day. Some other day, he runs into me accidentally in the corridor, stops me and says that there is a really good-paying job for me in their company and he wanted to see whether I was interested or not I was like, okay I just ignored him, he was so clingy, lol. I also had a couple of rude and naughty guys in the class in one semester, God you can't imagine how much energy I was consuming to control them… they were constantly throwing words on how I stand, how I sit, how I get serious, how I look, where I put my hands, what I wear, etc and dealing with that put me in a lot of stress that next semester I did not take that class again. And just recently, a student of mine comes up to me at the end of the class and gives me a DVD saying 'have you seen this film?' Too tired I took a quick look at the title and said no I haven't seen it, then he says okay this is for you. And I'm like 'thank you '. I go home and put the film on to watch; what I saw (you guys can guess more easily, lol), was that it was series composed of 16 episodes all of them on love and full of sexual scenes, I was like;

And these guys were not teenagers, all of them were above 25, some in early 30s.

Have you seen this film, lol. Not fair, all my profs in University could either hardly speak english, or were completely jurassic. Not a single attractive face to keep me awake . If anyone wants a life full of dull professors, boring lectures and a career full of meeting strange, anti social psychopaths... choose a career in Engineering. I guarantee you'll regret it, lol. Actually, I don't know anyone that likes their career unless it's something social. I find my work fulfilling and stressful at times... but most of the time I'd rather be cutting lawns or landscaping, lol.

[Lucin]

Re: Education Jobs

I guess there is something sexy about teachers lol . I just hope i don't get myself in trouble. I wanted to ask you if you enjoy your job of teaching still? I wonder if it is something you get tired of or is it a pretty gratifying profession?

I love the job and it was MY choice to do so. It has many positive and negative sides. It is a very stressful job, it takes a lot of your time and energy and occupies your mind constantly, it's not simply limited to the time you spend in the class but you have to spend time getting prepared at home as well (at least in my case) you'll meet lots of idiots, freaks mentally disturbed people but a lot of interesting people as well, though the former outnumber... I personally try to know quickly the psychology of each student and their inner world, something which has helped me deal with them much easier and dominate in the class. It's weird but my older students have more kiddie attitudes than the youngesters.

Overall, I enjoy it 'cause it just fulfills my inner needs and passion or else I do not find it that much gratifying for the obstacles I mentioned.

[Haykakan]

Re: Education Jobs

I guess there is something sexy about teachers lol . I just hope i don't get myself in trouble. I wanted to ask you if you enjoy your job of teaching still? I wonder if it is something you get tired of or is it a pretty gratifying profession?

[Lucin]

Re: Education Jobs

I know exactly what you mean both from a student's perspective and a teacher's. As a (female) student I can understand that sometimes women may be attracted to their professors but many women get attracted by the professor's intellect, intelligence and competency rather than his physics, the latter may contribute to the attraction as well but not necessarily. There is also the financial and 'prestige' factor as well which attracts females.

As a teacher I have experienced quite some adventures during my one and a half year experience that it feels like it's been ten years for me. So there is more to come to you. Due to my age I was more prone to such incidents. Here is some; one of my students came to me introduced himself and gave me his card, with his mobile phone number on, I was like and then he goes on explaining 'I work in this company as a mechanical engineer so if you need a new car please call me and let me know.' His wife was in the same class but she was absent that same day. Some other day, he runs into me accidentally in the corridor, stops me and says that there is a really good-paying job for me in their company and he wanted to see whether I was interested or not I was like, okay I just ignored him, he was so clingy, lol. I also had a couple of rude and naughty guys in the class in one semester, God you can't imagine how much energy I was consuming to control them… they were constantly throwing words on how I stand, how I sit, how I get serious, how I look, where I put my hands, what I wear, etc and dealing with that put me in a lot of stress that next semester I did not take that class again. And just recently, a student of mine comes up to me at the end of the class and gives me a DVD saying 'have you seen this film?' Too tired I took a quick look at the title and said no I haven't seen it, then he says okay this is for you. And I'm like 'thank you '. I go home and put the film on to watch; what I saw (you guys can guess more easily, lol), was that it was series composed of 16 episodes all of them on love and full of sexual scenes, I was like;

And these guys were not teenagers, all of them were above 25, some in early 30s.