Some ways in which you could model behaviors that will help your students to succeed in their career field is to demonstrate professional mannerisms. Treat everyone you come in contact with as a way of networking, and have common courtesy. Make sure that you are precieved as an equal, and not a friend, or inferior to the student. I believe if you follow these simple rules, you will set yourself up to have a successful career.
this is true, what you may feel like is not a big deal, a supervisor or director may come around and apply corrective action to what you have done.
By following the rules as you would want your students too.
Hi Kerri,
These two areas are so important because you may be the first person the students have encountered that reflects the standards of the field and the workers within it. The more we can reflect the field the easier it is going to be for the students to see what they need to do to be successful out in the workplace.
Gary
Hi Christopher,
Great advice for all instructors. By following the steps you outlined a new instructor will be in a great position to be effective in instruction and influential as a role model.
Gary
I like to set rules, up front, immediately so there is no misunderstanding. I also relate student behavior to their employment and the ability to maintain employment when negative behavior exists. I like to think of the classroom as a precursor to the job market. Your not going to keep a job in this day and age if you are not professional in all areas. We definately are the models for our students.
Dr. Meyers,
I believe that by modeling successful behavior in the classroom, students can learn a lot about how to succeed in their career field. A few ways to do this is to dress professionally, interact with students courteously, and begin all classes on time. These three things can easily correlate to their career field, no matter what it is -- if they dress professionally, act courteously and begin all scheduled meetings on time, this will benefit them more than they may think.
Sincerely,
Jessica Gilpatrick
One of the first ways you can model good behavior is by proper dress and language in class. Our main objective is to prepare students for a career and they need to know how to properly dress and how to properly speak and act when out on a job in the real world. These are two simple but important things a good instructor will model in class on a daily basis.
Whether we realize it or not, we as instructors inherit the job as “role model†the moment we step foot in the classroom. It is important that instructors recognize this early on because we have the power to shape these students lives in a positive manner. Some students may see us as a big brother or sister figure, an aunt or uncle, or perhaps they may even look up to us like a parent. Of course our main job is to make sure the students learn the subject matter that they have paid us to teach them, but it is equally important for us to allow them to see us up there with the utmost professionalism and to show the students that we are humans that have made mistakes of our own and have learned from those mistakes and have continued on a successful path. This shows the students that they too can obtain success. It is also important that we show the students that we truly care for them.
1. Be on time.
2. Act Professionally.
3. Know the subject content.
4. Engage the students.
Hello Jan,
Thank you so much for your reply to my post. You and I do have quite similar situations. I too fell in love with the idea of sharing and teaching on a college level while I was enrolled as a student with CTU Online for my BSBA. I knew that I needed a Master's degree to teach on the college level, so I enrolled in the MSM program with CTU Online before I even finished my undergraduate work. I also began teaching at my local community college in the Adult Literacy division of the Adult Learning Center. While completing my Master's degree I began a very rewarding 4 year journey of teaching GED students, adult literacy students, and serving as a GED Coordinator of the Christian Women's Job Corp in my community. My husband and I also home school our children; we have 2 teenager daughters and an 11 year old son. My daughters are enrolled in Ashworth College High School which is an accredited online college prep high school program. I love that program because it places me in the mentor role rather than the teacher role. With my son, who is the youngest, we are in an active teaching/mentoring mode. When my husband and I decided to return to college as adults to make a serious change in our lives we were excited. Our children were very motivated by our excitement and we quickly became the family that learns together.
My experience with CTU Online leads me to a new group of lives every 5 1/2 weeks. I receive such encouragement from reading the posts of our students and helping to guide them through their first semester. Many of our students have such anxiety about returning to college. I love helping them share with each other and watching those makes the discovery that they are not alone in their journey.
Like you, I too intend to teach for the rest of my life. In order to accomplish this I also must commit myself to being a life-long learner.
I would love to keep in touch through our campus email.
Sincerely,
Carla Denman
Hello Carla,
Our stories sound so similar. For over 20 years I had been a single mother of three and raised them owning and operating two hair salons/day spas in Charleston, South Carolina. While I thrived in that area and enjoyed the interaction with my clients, I found with each passing year that it was more and more difficult to stand for 10 to 12 hours per day, six days per week. After I was 'creamed' in a rear end collision in 2004, I sold my salons in order to learn to walk again.
I am not the type to just sit around, so I searched for something to do for the rest of my life! I decided on a degree from CTU Online. I really had no idea just what I wanted to do, but I was going to find out. After the first session, I knew. I rediscovered myself. I realized that in the learning and sharing of the information I gained, the more I wanted to share. I was questioned as to my rationale in returning to school at 'my age'. Now, however, those around me see a constant smile of true happiness and fulfillment in my 'life's work'. I truly believe that I was meant to teach. However, I believe that I am in the right place at the right time.
Only now do I think that I really appreciate the gift that I have been given. Most have dreams of making a small difference in the world, but rarely find that ability. Who knew that one day you and I would have the amazing position of having students from all over the world and from every walk of life. Every 5 1/2 weeks we gain a new group to inspire with our love of the task of offering them something that will indeed change lives forever. How could one not be consistently excited about that ability? I know that years from now my name may just be a fleeting thought to many. However, the time and place we share in the moment is beyond mere words. My heart swells with pride as I watch former students grow and succeed. The validation I gain in the emails, final project postings, and in the end of course survey comments has a long lasting effect on me and, at times brings many happy tears. I thank God and CTU every day for the opportunity that I have been given.
Now you have written such a wonderful posting regarding my thoughts and presentation on Netiquette. I cannot tell you how appreciative I am of your validation of my work as well. Stacia had heard about my presentation and asked me about posting it. There was not even a moment of hesitation on my part to be able to also share with my peers. Thank you so much for your kind comments. It is my sincere hope that the presentation will continue to serve you and your students well. I also thank you for letting me know that I was able to touch even more lives for the good.
Please feel free to keep in touch if you wish. My school email is JGunnells@faculty.ctuonline.edu
Most sincerely,
Jan Gunnells
Hello Professor Gunnells,
I could not agree more. I too stay excited and I find that it is very infectious among my students. Just telling them that they are not alone in their journey helps our students to understand that we can walk together through life. As a role model in the classroom I also do not have to pretend to learn from my students on a continual basis. I treasure the time I have with my students and work to address every question, concern and fear with positive reinforcement. I was an older student when I returned to college. I was not fearful; instead I was so appreciative of the opportunity to be in the online classroom. I was not afraid of computers, course content, or even communication with my fellow students. The thing that scared me into action was the fact that I had been promoted 3 times in 2 years while working with Lockheed Martin and I had reached a ceiling in my career. I had to have a degree to advance. While attending CTU and working full time as a Quality Engineer I absolutely fell in love with teaching, mentoring, and motivating others to realize their own potential. So, here I am; excited, learning, and paying attention as the instructor and student.
P.S. I love your presentation on Netiquette. Stacia posted it for use in our classrooms, and my students love it too. It is very helpful.
Sincerely,
Carla Denman
To serve as a role model for our students it is very important to first help them to understand that no person is perfect. We must all move confidently and realistically into our actions as leaders, managers, and mentors to others. Working to appreciatively answer questions with directions toward provoking thought is the best way to be proactive as leaders in the classroom and in the workplace.
I think the students also value having an actual working professional as an instructor.
I have the honor and great privilege of being an instructor that greets new students to our school and assist them in acclimating to the online learner atmosphere. I absolutely love this cheerleader role. I address my students first and foremost by letting them know that I was once where they are. I was older when returning to higher education. By revealing this I find that those that are also older relax and realize that they are not alone. They begin to voice this and find that other classmates are older as well. The younger ones are then congratulated by the older ones for realizing the need for a higher education at an earlier time in their lives.
Watching this communication grow from a single idea and shared experience brings a level of excitement to what was only moments before, an air of nervousness and some fear on the part of the students in their abilities and decision making to return to school is quite exciting for me. It also sets the tone for the remainder of our session together. Through my own excitement in my personal goal realization I am able to pass on that same motivation. I continuously remind them that if I, who was so much older, terrified, and uncertain of returning to school... can reach goals and even set new ones, they can also reach their goals if they apply themselves.
I don't have to 'play' excited. I stay excited!
Here's two ways:
1. Time. Be in the room long before class begins, start on time, never run long.
2. Listen. Don't interrupt a question with a quick answer. Then after you answer, follow up: did I answer clearly? And listen again.
I feel the best way to model behaviors for students is to be professional and to know the subject matter. When teaching give real world experience examples. When students have not been in a paticular field you are their model for how they should dress and act in their chosen field.
I think it needs to be made clear to the students that their integrity and reputation is as important as their job skills. I believe instructors should be role models for the students and always be honest with them. I think making it clear to the students that we all make mistakes but lets own up to our mistakes when we do. As instructors we need to be sure we are good role models.
Hi Kelly,
You make a good point about students reflecting a professional attitude. We have all experienced someone in public, such as a retail store that has a negative attitude and takes it out on us, the customers. We remember those experiences and don't frequent that store again. The same is true for students as they enter their chosen field. Personal interactions, positive attitudes and competence all contribute to successful career paths. They need to be reminded of this on a regular basis.
Gary
