The instructor. They say teachers get no respect. That may or may not be true but without them this world would be a pretty stupid place to live. Computer instructors have a rough job. They need to strike a balance between drilling the point home and knowing when a different approach is needed.

Computers are very popular. Many people want to take up some form of computer instruction for the chance at a high paying job. The field of study itself isn't really important because they all have one thing in common. They're all very technical and with anything of a technical nature, there is always the possibility that the material is going to be over somebody's head. As an instructor, how can you tell?

Most computer classes are small, especially in a technical school as most schools have limits to the number of students they'll allow in one class. The same is not always true in a public school but this article is going to concentrate on the business school setting.

So what do you do as an instructor to spot the student who just isn't getting it and what can you do to see that the chances of that happening are slim?

The most important thing for an instructor to do is first lay out the curriculum in such a way that there isn't too much material covered in too short a time. This isn't always possible as most computer courses are usually for a fixed period of time, such as 6 months to a year, but a good school will have a solid understanding of how much work can be realistically accomplished in that time.

After the course is laid out, the next step is to plan the lessons so that after each piece of technical knowledge is dispensed, a brief period follows where the instructor can evaluate the progress of each student. This can either be done in the form of an examination or hands on work. In most computer schools, exams usually aren't taken, as most of the course is simply hands on knowledge of the material.

However, even before you get to that point, even while you are still just lecturing on the material there is one key thing that will tip you off to each student's progress.

Take a good look at all their faces after you've completed your explanation of some topic and asked them if there are any questions. The students who just didn't get it will have a rather blank stare. Their expression probably won't have changed from the beginning of the session. That is the first sign that somebody isn't getting it. If you, as an instructor suspect this, there is an easy way to verify it. Using a smoke screen of question and answer time, ask several students a few questions. In the middle of this, ask the student you suspect isn't getting it a question. If you're right, most likely he won't know the answer. If this happens, stop.

Take the material that has just been covered and do a visual, hands on, presentation of it if possible. Explain it again, maybe in a different way. If the student understands, you will notice a definite change in the expression on his face.

By doing this, the instructor will be able to assess the knowledge level of the class and be able to gear the pacing and explanation of his lessons from there.

Being a good instructor is more than just knowing the material. It's also being able to get a feel for where your students are at and how to get them over the hump when confronted with material that they just don't understand.