Improving Student Learning Through Facilitation

Delivery, often associated with hot pizza and big brown trucks, all about getting a product, usually in a box, where it needs to be, on time. Successful delivery requires no knowledge of the contents of the box, just speed and proper directions. Is this the principle behind education? If it were, that would mean a teacher's primary job would be to hand ideas to students at the proper time and the students would have the responsibility of determining what to do with the information. If teachers are delivery personnel, they don't have the responsibility of showing students how to use the information that conveyed. When viewed in this light, it not difficult to discern the answer to the question, is teaching about delivery or facilitation? At the high school level, the teacher's purpose to help students apply knowledge in practical ways. This definitely requires taking the information outside the box. To facilitate means to make something simple and easy to use. For teachers, this means taking information, explaining it, looking at it from many different directions, and then proving that it useful in real-life situations. There are several necessary components to being a good facilitator. In order for teachers to facilitate and improve learning by students, a three-step process should be followed. The Teacher The first and most important detail for the teacher to be comfortably knowledgeable about the wide range of topics generally covered in a comprehensive agriculture program. Those planning to become high school agriculture instructors should utilize their college electives to study as many areas as possible including mechanics, business, and scientific research methods. It a common mistake to choose a comfort zone and fill elective slots with one area of classes such as animal science or horticulture. For all teachers, and especially graduates who have not gained the recommended spectrum of experience, it necessary to take advantage of new learning opportunities while in the teaching profession. Summer teacher institutes and workshops are excellent opportunities for keeping up to date with new technology and exploring unfamiliar topics. With an extensive scope of knowledge, teachers are confident in the classroom and more likely to incite interest among students. A teacher's personal knowledge the first step to improving student learning but the second step rests with the individual student. The Students It must be clear to students what role they have to play in their own learning. While the teacher has to do more than deliver the information, the student has to do more than just sign for it at the door. Responsibilities for the student include being in class on time and prepared every day. Assignments must be completed to the best of the student's ability and if there a problem, it the student's responsibility to make it known and seek out help. By making these expectations clear at the beginning of the school year and reiterating them from time to time, students will be aware of what their responsibilities are. A good way to establish this with a student contract explained and signed at the beginning of the year and kept on file in the agriculture department. The Classroom After arming oneself with broad knowledge and making it clear what expected of the student, a teacher can continue to facilitate learning by doing some fine-tuning within the program. There are several things the teacher can do to make learning subject matter easier for students in the classroom. The following list by no means comprehensive, but offers some suggestions for improving student learning. Tip 1: Simplify. As you prepare lesson plans look at the broad principles each unit includes. …