Hi Patrick:
If I can paraphrase what you've written, the instructor needs to know what they are personally passionate about while balancing that passion with keeping emotional interests to a minimum.
Regards, Barry
Hi Jolyn:
That's awesome! Another consideration may also be that knowing what you're passionate about can help you convey that passion to your students.
Regards, Barry
Hi Jane:
Instructors who are enthusiastic and passionate about a topic will convey that enthusiasm to their students.
This type of passion may help motivate students who are still questioning if they want to take the class!
Regards, Barry
Hi Jill:
One thing instructors can do is try some self-discovery to learn what their passion is on the subject.
It is often this passion that is conveyed to the student, making the topic that much more interesting.
Regards, Barry
Hi Catherine:
It most definitely can be difficult to look at constructive criticism from students, but it can be such a learning moment for oneself.
Also, keeping a journal of what works and what doesn't can also show us things about ourselves for a good learning outlook.
Regards, Barry
Hi Shannon:
This is very true. One way to facilitate getting to know yourself may be incorporating the teaching journal method discussed in another module.
Regards, Barry
I prefer the Socratic style of teaching. I find that questions tend to spark comments from my students.This in turn leads to further understanding of the subject matter..Paul T. Rougemont
It is important to know your own learning style because that is the way you will be inclined to teach. If your students have different learning styles you will need to incorporate some strategies that will accomodate them.
I think that it is very important to have depth of knowledge in the subjects one teaches. However, I feel it is more important to be able to bring this base of knowledge along with an excitement towards making sure that the student(s)is/are learning the material. I know that I feel most satisfied when I can see the lights comming on in my students.It's like watching an awakening when you know that the students are getting the points your trying to get across.
The instructional goal is to reach all students in their learning journey. It is important to recognize one's strenghts and weaknesses as an instructor, particularly weaknesses which unattended, could diminish learning opportunities for some students.
Hello,
As I read over the different topics to respond to, I came up with a little different question. With the rather mediocre, if not poor, world ranking of our educational system, I am perplexed as to the reason for it. Is it that we are not preparing our selves as teachers to do the best we can or is there a failure in our educational system that defies even our best attempts at being the best instructors we can be? I have seen the education systems in Asia and Europe. What imperative are their systems imparting to their students that we are not to ours? Is there a 900-pound pink gorilla here that I am missing?
Understanding yourself as an instructor allows you to tap into your strengths and give your students the quality teaching abilities that you have to share with them.
We all come to a place with our own personal identities, values, beliefs, and approaches to interactions with others. I believe that it's imperative to know those things about yourself. I may not know how I achieved any of them, but I need to know that they will all play a role in my interactions with others. Knowing these things about myself can lead me to look at what might work and might not work as I help lead a class. It can be a painful experience (if not, it's probably not being done objectively!)but that helps me to look at personal strengths and weaknesses and adjust my instructional leadership roles accordingly.
We were asked about our professors when we were in college and what we thought of them- some of them lectured for the entire class time. I liked that, I received the information I needed and was able to take it and study it. I figured that is how people like to learn. I have learned that not all students like that style, so I am learning to change my style of teaching.
I couldn't agree with you more. Reading your posting has made me aware that sometimes these issues arise. All students need to be treated fairly and if one student feels that they have been wronged they tend to "bash" the instructor and speak ill of them to other students. This in turn can turn other students' opinions against the instructor. It really all is about presentation!
So many times our views and reactions to situations (as an instructor) speak volumes in the classroom and we should strive for those messages to be positive, reflect that we should all be adaptive to change- change is good- and that all problems have a solution. If I utilize my strengths -both personality wise and knowledge wise the classroom show be a place that students want to come and want to learn.
I feel if I do not reflect on how I teach I may not be aware of how I come across to the students. I try to be aware of my voice, my mannerisms, where I stand in the room, my facial expressions, how much discipline I use, etc… My goal in the classroom is to get these students to learn so they are prepared for the job and as many instructors know students can be easily distracted. It only takes one incident for a student to be turned off by an instructor and getting that student back is difficult. In my experience students usually do not get turned off by the content of the course, but more so how it is delivered. I need to be conscious of this so that I can achieve my goal in the classroom.
Understanding yourself as an instructor will help you realize what points you need to work on in your own development.
In having an understanding of yourself as an instructor you are able to bring confidence, competency and pride to the table for your students. As instructors we are role models, students look to us for guidance, if we don't have an understanding of ourselves and aren't able to project that to our students then even with all the textbooks and handouts in the world we are not fulfilling our obligation to deliver the best instruction and guidance. After all, if you don't know yourself, who else will ?
that God took some of my weaknesses and turned them into strengths.
