Class started by handing back the first assignment, providing feedback on that assignment, as well as discussing future quizzes. I also passed a sheet around the class for students to write down a topic of their choice, which will later be formally presented to the class. Based on their preferred topic, I assigned them into groups of four or five. I wanted to make the class happy by assigning group partners that had similar interests as themselves. Due to the size of the class and the plethora of available topics in Health Psychology, this was more difficult than I had originally anticipated.
During the lecture, there was one student who was extremely talkative, and continued to engage in conversation with me. I did not know how to handle this situation. When it first started happening, I would respond, as I did not want to seem rude or unapproachable. However, as the student continued to talk, my vague responses turned into just nods, in an attempt to stop the conversation. I decided that if this happens again with a student, I will say that I would love to talk more after class. This way, I can still be personable and approachable, without being disruptive to other students.
McDonald’s has recently announced that they will be cutting calories in their fast food. We discussed this news in class, and it was a successful attempt to relate what is happening in the country to what is being taught in the classroom. It is important to bring real-world issues into lectures, as it helps students understand that the information they learn in Health Psychology is applicable outside of the classroom.
I am still noticing that there are a select few students who are always raising their hand and answering questions. I would like to see more students participating in discussion, and hopefully that will happen as students become more comfortable with each other as the semester continues. On a bright note, we are almost a month into the semester, and only one person was absent from class today. I think this is pretty good proof that the class is stimulating and students have an appreciation for the subject material.
Great reflections Elise. I would like to think the attendance is interest related but of course there are many other factors. The key thing I am trying to work on here is increasing discussion. This ties directly into trying to experiment with ‘flipping’ the classroom and pushing more of ‘content delivery’ to outside of class with more chewing on material IN class. The quest continues and of course ideas welcome.