Questions+for+RU+students


 * How different are your teaching styles from the teachers you had in school? In what ways will you change your teaching style and methods?**

//Many of my teachers taught subjects like history, science, and math through lectures. Studies copied notes off the board, memorized them, and then completed a test. When I learned this way, I usually forgot everything that I had memorized within a week (or less!). Learning just wasn’t meaningful. My classes are very interactive. Students do collaborative projects, and it’s not uncommon to have students talking more than I talk. I don’ t like to “lecture.” I do, however, believe that a teacher needs to guide his/her students. The teacher is still very important. I just think teachers need to be more strategic when planning their lessons. They need to think very carefully about why they are lecturing, why students are taking notes, why projects are done collaboratively, etc. I think sometime teachers aren’t using the best instruction for their students.//

//I am a math teacher and I would say that my teaching style is quite different from the way I learned math. When I was a student, my math teachers taught most lessons by presenting examples while the students copied notes and practiced problems. As a teacher, I use a more interactive approach, involving student discussion and cooperative learning.//


 * How do you help your students to understand difficult concepts? How do you break it up?**

//If at all possible, I like to give examples and models. If students can SEE what I want them to do/write/understand, then I think they will learn the material better. If I don’t have examples, then I try to have students engage in conversations about the things that they are learning. I strongly feel that discussing and learning from one another can be much more powerful than learning from a teacher’s lecture. I also think that it’s important for students to have time to reflect upon their learning (and the content of the course). Sometimes life gets sooo busy that we don’t have time to just THINK about what we are studying.//


 * What techniques do you use for someone who cannot understand English?**

//I use a lot of gestures// //J// //. I use my arms a lot… facial expressions, etc. I also draw and write things on the board to try and convey information. If I have a student who is a Spanish speaker, I MIGHT use my Spanish with him/her… but only when absolutely necessary.//

//It's important to be patient and make them feel comfortable so they will try to practice their English. Learning a second language takes a lot of time and lots of practice. I try to create a classroom atmosphere which is accepting and where students participate and help each other.//

//Using visual models and hands-on activities helps English language learners to make connections.//


 * What is the best way of finding out what activities a college offers? How do you get information about that?**

//Websites can be wonderful resources! Before choosing a graduate program, I spent hours and hours exploring university websites. Also, it’s very helpful if you know a person who goes to the school. It’s also great to visit the school and go on tours. Sometimes universities have a special day where all of the clubs and organizations set up booths. Then people can walk around, pick up flyers, and talk with people about various programs.

You could start by looking on the colleges' website for activities and events.//