Hello GTS Participants!
I have struggled trying to figure out how to post all of the teaching challenges that we captured from our Friday together. Rather than create about 25 posts, I'm going to list them here. When you reply, hopefully you can revise the subject line and indicate which challenge you're responding to. I took the liberty of grouping some of the challenges that seemed fairly similar. If I've left one out, please feel free to post an additional challenge.
I. Working with groups. This was a recurring theme of challenges, including how to manage group work in large classes, how to effectively design/lead/facilitate group activities, and how to make group work more effective.
II. Attendance issues, such as requiring it, how to manage it, etc.
III. Student attitudes. This was a topic that included students not wanting be there, students who make ongoing excuses and not taking responsibility for their actions, etc.
IV. Millennial generation. This is a broad topic and includes how to work with these students, how to cultivate a beginner's mind, and how to address the under-preparedness of many of them.
V. Assessment challenges--creating a balanced approach of assessment that creates accountability and variety without additional busywork. Related to this is the challenge of overwhelming students with content and passing students who might not be qualified.
VI. Managing learner differences, including skill levels, learning style preferences, and identifying the differences.
VII. Diverse student demographics, including multiple cultural backgrounds, nationalities, and generations. How do we create curriculum that is beneficial to all?
VIII. Math literacy issues. The extreme negative attitudes towards math is an obstacle to learning and moving forward; America has failed in preparing students in math and logic--and it is adversely affecting student success in college.
IX. English as a second language students. Many courses have specialized language/vocabulary and many of these students simply can't keep up--and if affects their success rates.
IX--English as a second language students. If I had many ESL students in my class, I think I would create a lexicon of terms--specifically the ones that are not mainstream--and include it with my syllabus. I might even include some contextual material to accompany the terms. If ESL students have access to this beforehand, then lectures, etc., would be much easier for them to follow.
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