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tones. You will use force only on the key words and ideas; make more use of the pause for
effect; and maintain a calm, pleasant, but confident and authoritative manner. Most instructors
show enthusiasm by combining characteristics from both of these styles.
H U M OR
You may be a sincere, confident, and enthusiastic instructor, yet still lack the humor needed
for effective instruction. If you lack a sense of humor, you will seem unreal, inhuman, or very
conceived. Humor shows that you are, after all, just another human being and that you have
a warm, lively interest in all that goes on around you. Having a sense of humor does not
necessarily imply an ability to tell funny jokes, although tasteful, relevant jokes certainly have
a place in good instruction.
A more effective type of humor is spontaneous humor. Take advantage of unexpected
humorous classroom situations that sometimes arise--make a brief comment, pause, or simply
smile. Humor directed at yourself is very effective.
Most people laugh when someone
important is receptive to being the object of good humor.
In addition to decency, the only rule to follow in using humor is good judgment. Take care
not to direct humor at a specific person. Students may resent having a classmate singled out.
Be sure your humor is good natured and lightly done. Clean humor is as American as the hot
dog and will often assist student learning.
F E E D B A C K
Observation of your students
provides important feedback that
will help you in evaluating the
e f f e c t i v e n e s s
o f y o u r
communications skills.
Puzzled
brows, frowns,
and whispered
questions between students indicate
that you have not communicated
effectively.
The students have
unconsciously shown signs of a lack
of understanding.
The observation of these signs and
their on-the-spot analysis is called
feedback. That again underlines the
importance of maintaining good eye
contact with your students.
Students can also send signs of
positive feedback. You may often
knowledge. When you see a student’s
observe students at the very moment they gain new
face light up, you are seeing understanding take place.
This positive feedback is one of the most personally rewarding experiences of an instructor.
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