Breaking the Ice: Adult Education

First impressions matter! They matter not only in our personal appearance and military bearing, but also to ensure our students are properly motivated for our courses. The first time a student gets to meet his instructor and his fellow learners makes a lasting impression that affects each learner's performance for the duration of the course. This concept is especially true in shorter courses; in pipeline courses the student has a longer time to modify his first impression.

An introduction serves to break the ice and make students feel at ease. Our introductions should not be simply 'how to get to the Coke machine and the smoking area,' they should include information about us, our learners and our ground rules.

When giving information about yourself, be careful! Tell learners about your professional experience and your education, but avoid intimidating them. A person with extensive experience and education might intimidate learners who are less fortunate or less experienced.

Get some information about the learners. Go around the room and let each learner introduce themselves and give some personal history. This is a good opportunity to find out what each student expects to gain from the course. Make notes on your learners' expectations as they give their introduction. This helps you make sure you meet their specific needs. Also, keep a record of student's names and commands at your podium so you can call on them by name.

Students are all motivated to learn in different ways. Perhaps they can tell you what motivates them, instead of your routine "with the knowledge you learn in this course, you will pass your performance exam." Let them offer comments like "I need this knowledge to make supervisor," or "I need this training because my system always needs repair."

Set down the basic ground rules for the course. Proper dress for the class, start and stop times, and the daily schedule are the norm. However, also tell your students how to give feedback to you, how you expect them to ask questions, and also how they should answer your questions.