How do I encourage students to be active/interested?
- From the first day, demonstrate and talk about your own enthusiasm for the
course material, and how it effects you personally. Look for ways
to connect the material to the lives of your students.
For example: if you are teaching an environmental studies class, bring
in examples of environmental issues going on in the area where your students
live (Eugene, Oregon is perfect for this...). Use current event articles,
editorials from local newspapers, or examples from your own life that illustrate
your points. Solicit these examples from your students.
- Think of questions you can ask about the material that make students think
about the subject matter, even if they have not read the material.
While students may not have read the biography of Frederick Douglas, they
can talk about what life must have been like for an African American living
at that time in history. Then, during class, attach statements that come out
of their mouths to the reading, so they want to go back and read about their
own ideas.
- Cover course material with effective
Discussion Facilitation Techniques.
- Create a "need to know." As you are preparing your lesson plans, ask yourself - why would a student need to know this? This helps you think about material in terms of its relevance to students' lives.
Address questions or comments about
TEP or this site to:
Georgeanne Cooper, Program Director,
64 PLC
Phone: 541-346-2177 Fax: 541-346-2184
© Copyright 2000-2006 Teaching Effectiveness Program, University of Oregon.
Last Modified:
05/22/08
