Instructor Professional Education Workshop

As a Community Learning instructor, we know you are a lifelong learner just like your students. We are pleased to provide occasional learning opportunities to build your teaching tool kit.

Dealing with Varying Abilities in Your Class
As an instructor in the adult learning environment, it can be rewarding and challenging to facilitate learning in a room full of students with varying levels of knowledge and experience. Join us for a two-hour facilitated discussion to brainstorm new ways to work with varying abilities in your classes. You'll come away with new and creative ideas to bridge the gap and include everyone in the learning process.

When: Monday, February 28, 2011 6-8 pm
Where: Boyle Ed Center 151
Preregistration is required - space is limited. Please register by 2/22.

Register by phone (541) 383-7270 or send us an email and let us know you'll be attending.

New Year and Time is Short

Welcome to 2011! Our enrollment has taken a jump as people are looking for ways to fulfill their resolutions through a class or simply want to continue learning.
This first post of the year is a reminder that we programmers are in a very tight scheduling timeframe. We are now planning for Spring and Summer term. If you have ideas for new classes you need to contact us right away. If we contact you, please respond as soon as you can.
We hope you all have a great year!

The Next Term - What You Can Do NOW

It is that time of year when we are releasing the schedule for the next term, in this case, Winter term. The classes don't start till January, but we need to get the word out now.
Since it is Christmas time and even we are planning for the holidays, raising awareness of our upcoming classes can be a challenge. We need your help to make this happen most effectively.
We are asking you to talk up your classes and encourage those you know to sign up. We can send you an email flier, if you request one, which you can send out to any on your email list. You are the front line that our clients see and we want your classes to go.
Do you have any other things you do to get the word out about your class? Share them with us here.

Important Feedback

As instructors, we want to know how we are coming across to our students and how effective we are being. It is always gratifying to hear how good we are doing or uncomfortable to hear we have missed the mark. Often this feedback doesn’t come until the end of class when we can’t do anything about it.
Carol Smith, from the Helium.com website, writes, “Don't be afraid to ask your students how they feel the course is going. If you are relaxed and friendly they will feel they can give you an honest answer. If they aren't happy, ask them what they would like you to change - and change it! You will be a better teacher for it and you will have happier students.”
How do you handle this situation? Do you regularly check in with your students or pull one aside during a break? What has worked for you? Comment below and share with us.