I always think this is the difference between great and not-so-great teachers.  Teachers who are passionate about their subject area seem to easily build an excitement in the students.  If a teacher is teaching something they do not particularly enjoy, it seems the students pick up the same "attitude".

This is why it is important for teachers to have time to collaborate!  Sharing ideas/concerns with other teachers are working with the same students often brings up great ideas to resolve/anticipate resistance.

I try to keep my presentation "chunks" short by writing reminders to myself in my notes to move to an activity which reinforces the information or link to a video clip.  My students seem to enjoy when I indicate I have found a "friend" (via video) to more completely explain a topic.  They like to kid me about having lots of "friends".

This is a #1 "bad presentation" thing for students!  Sometimes I think they think they are at the mercy of the software and decide "I can't do anything about the strange picture"!  Distorted images draw the audience to the image rather than the message!

This really proves "a picture is worth 1000 words"..the slide started out so wordy and see it move to one "word" is impressive!

Love this advice.  Hard for teachers to walk away from "the list", but this advice improves "the list"!

I think in class it is important to get to know your students.  Building the relationship with the students and understanding their background definitely helps the teacher to design a lesson/presentation that will reach the students.

It is often hard for students to give an interesting presentation and I think it is because many of them lack the "history" to have stories to share.  I co-coach our Academic Decathlon team and as they work on their prepared speeches we often tell them the best speeches are tied to "real life" not a researched topic.  Now I know why....they have stories to share!

I think this is what makes good teachers!  When the teacher teaches what they love, they just naturally have stories; they do not have to read from a slide as they are telling about something they really know, love and want to share!

Note to self.  This lesson is so hard for teachers!!  We are constantly encouraged to walk away from facts/details and focus on the big picture.  In the end the students cannot remember EVERYTHING so I think it is my job to help them sort out what is most important!

I think this helps students tie to "real life".  I also thinks it helps build relationships with students when they hear personal stories from the teacher on occasion instead of just "bulleted lists". Takes time to build the stories!  I like to keep bookmarks and clippings of things I see and link them in to my presentations....I always tell the students I've found a friend who can tell the story :)