Instructors as Role Models
What are some ways you can model behaviors that will help your students to succeed in their career field?
Lynne,
Instructors often times overlook or do not value their dress, language and conduct when it comes to being the learning leader. Your comments are right on about the importance of being an example and model for the students to follow. It is a part of our professional responsibility.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I can model my former program director's professionalism in delivering course contents and skills capabilities.
I believe that instructors have to realize that dress is important. I taught at a small private college some years ago and they did not have a dress code for the professors. If their attire is not professional, it is hard for students to take them seriously (and some colleagues, also). One's attire is part of the first impression that others develop about that person. Also, the language used and treatment of colleagues is seen by the students and can lead them to a false image of others in the career of their choice.
Richard,
You are using a very effective way of connecting with your students. You have set where they are sitting so they know you know what it is like to work full time and try to be successful as a student. This earns their respect and forms the foundation for the development of rapport.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Often at career colleges the students work full-time and find it difficult to get homework done.
I've started sharing with the students that I graduated from a career college while working full time. This has been an effective motivational tool. I've even had students jokingly say "If you can do it then I definitely can."
Though most teachers are not able to use such personal experiences. You can ask seasoned instructors for stories of recent graduates that struggled to get homework done, but pushed through to the end and now have great careers.
Lisa,
You are displaying and modeling the behavior and soft skills needed for career success. You are doing a great service for your students as they get to see how a professional in their field should conduct themselves.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I can model behaviors that will help my students to succeed in their career field is by setting the example in class. I should behave, speak, address issues, dress etc. in the manner that I would expect from them as a professional. I should also tell them when they fall short in a positive coaching manner. Many of my students are young and lack life experience as well as job experience. It is my responsibiltiy to model as well as inform my studentst about the expectations in their chosen career field.
Gloria,
Good advice and so important for their career success. It seems that a lot of students forget about transferring what they are learning to the workplace. They need to expand their compassion to their patients as well.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I would say to the students; You are here learning to become healthcare professionals, and the learning process do not stop in this classroom; you will become also a role model and teacher the patients you will be caring for.
Keep in mind that caring translates as: been empathetic, and compassionate.
David,
This is so important in the development of students. They need to understand and be able to observe how they should conduct themselves in their career area. By doing so their transition to the workplace with be much easier.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Present the image of the working professional that the students can model their own behavior, actions, knowledge, and personal image after. Show the student how the their career field professional interacts with others around him/her.
Yolanda,
You are the model for your field so the way you project yourself and the standard you set for the field is how you will be perceived by your students. Your points are good ones about how best to be a role model.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Eleanor,
I wish you continued teaching success with the new information and strategies you have to chose from.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
By being an example in the classroom and in the field. Having the ability to communicate effectively and not prejudging the students.
Instructors are role models to the students. Instructors need to be on time, dress professional, act professional and show the students through their actions, the proper way to respond in any situation. The instructor also has to show leadership and fairness to the students. An instructor is more than just the person standing at the front of the class. The instructor needs to be a proper role model at all times inside and outside of the classroom.
Thank you for providing me with a template to use. As a new instructor, I felt I was all over the map trying to figure the best approach.
Sharon,
Thank you for these comments. You are right about the need to set the standards for the class and then enforce them as they help the students to develop the needed behaviors and skills required for career success. As you say to do less is to be unfair to the students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
It is important to remember that the adult learner is most often in class to improve or change their career. Instructors must present models that will help students to succeed in class, in their job search and finally, in their careers.
Instructors help students to become good students when they show enthusiasm for the subject matter, come prepared to class, and make the course expectations clear. Instructors must hold both students and themselves to those expectations. If instructors expect students to be on time and prepared for class then the instructor must do the same. Instructors should hold students to assignment deadlines but must also be prompt in grading and returning those assignments.
Instructors must model what is expected in the field. They should prepare students for their job search by clearly demonstrating a model that recruiters would desire. Being too casual in dress or demeanor will give students a false sense of industry standards.
This professional model carries into the students’ eventual career in the field. Instructors should not only serve as a model of the professional in the field, they should demand the same from the students. Instructors do students no favors when they tolerate lazy, sloppy performances. First they must model the appropriate behavior, then they must require it of their students so that the classroom is a productive learning environment and students are prepared to be successful in their careers.
John,
I think this is a great way to make the course content real as well as introduce the students to "real life" in their career field. The more experiences they can have the easier the transition will be to the work world.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
