Instructional professionalism is (partly) what the students see in you, as an instructor, from the moment you walk into class until the moment they leave.
However, Instructional Professionalism actually *starts* way before you ever even meet your students. It starts with your attitude, your dress, your preparation, and overall demeanor towards the field of education.
Confidence, articulate, knowledeable, dynamic.
Hi Jessica,
I like your definition of professionalism. Not only does it cover the basic soft skills but it also deals with human aspects of career success and modeling. Well done.
Gary
I tend to separate the concept of professionalism from that of competence in course content. For me, professionalism deals more with how an instructor conducts him/herself in the classroom and in dealing with class-related issues outside of the classroom. It encompasses more than just dress, hygiene, and etiquette, which are by no means unimportant. The way we speak to our students and the language we use when doing so, both in person and via written or online messages, should be respectful and should serve as a model of how successful employees in the field interact.
Another important aspect of professionalism lies in dealing with conflicts in your class. Ethically, we have to treat all students in the same manner and refrain from allowing bias, consciously or unconsciously, to cause us to unfairly offer an advantage to some students.
My instructional style is based on how I learn the subject material and present in the same way. My job is to get them to understand material so I can take students to the next level of development.
Hi Melinda,
You have listed a number of ways to grow as an educator and they all are helpful in being more competent and professional. Keep growing in your knowledge and expertise and you will continue to impact the lives of your students.
Gary
Hi David,
Thank you for these comments on what instructional professionalism means. I really appreciated the quote you shared from Dr. Wilkins because it is certainly true. We need always to strive to make a difference in the learning process of our students.
Gary
Hi Stacey,
Well stated. This is what it is all about in terms of being a professional educator and role model for your field. Thanks for sharing your insight on this most important component of being an educator.
Gary
I would start off by saying that in most careers, mine happens to be nursing and now education, people approach professionalism by learning as much as possible about their field: research from the computer or classes; watching others in the field; and just practicing. I don't think there would be too much difference for the profession of instruction. In the program notes I'm reviewing for ED 101, there was a little snippet about taking some time to reflect back on our own experiences with teachers and making a good/bad list and seeing how we could put one or two attributes into our own matrix. I'm really looking forward to this process for myself as I feel that I can really grow here and take my experiences as a nursing staff preceptor and converting that to the formal classroom!!!
We were hired as teachers/instructors due to our knowledge and skills which made us a subject matter expert. Being a subject matter expert does not necessarily make one a good instructor. It is the transference of knowledge and skills to the learner in an effective manner that makes us a good instructor. To me, instructional professionalism means not only being an expert in the subject matter being taught but also being an expert in the learning process plus having the skill set to allow learning to occur. Being instructionally professional means to be constantly learning not only about the subject taught but also improving oneself as a better teacher. In my mind, it is being an expert in both disciplines. I heard Dr. Bruce Wilkins in a lecture once state that if "the learners aren't learning, then the teacher isn't teaching." I took his saying to heart and strive to meet this challenge with each and every class.
Instructional Professionalism is the possession of unwavering honesty and integrity coupled with both soft and hard skills with the implementation of the 3 (Ms)- modeling, managing, and motivating. By this, the academic environment becomes condusive to various learning styles; thereby building rich instructor/student relations.
I see instructional professionalism as competence, effectiveness and the ability to motivate and encourage the lives you're affecting on a daily basis. Being able to effectively communicate your goals and expectations are also key elements of instructional professionalism.
Hi Helen,
Right you are. These "soft skills" are essential if students are going to be successful in their careers. So the more emphasis that can be put on them the better.
Gary
Instructional Professionalism covers:
1. Be good at the teaching subject and stay current by actively discussing the subject with peers, reading the latest development in the field.
2.Be forthright to the points by answering the students questions.
3. The appropriate dress code.
4. The professional language.
5. The responsible behaviors, like be on time.
You need to have the expertise of the information. In addition, you need to conduct the classroom to ensure the best learning environment for the students.
I define instructional professionalism as the way that you carry yourself to set an example for the students to follow as they learn what is to be expected of them within their chosen field of study. It is also holding yourself to the standards that are being taught, for example, I teach infection control with attention being paid to good hand washing practices and will wash my hands frequently over the course of a class period, "practicing what I preach". Another example would be pertaining to the "soft skills" necessary for success. I will always arrive 1 hour prior to class time with my uniform/scrubs freshly pressed, my shoes clean and polished, my hair in an up-do sprayed to prevent movement or falling (could contaminate wounds or surfaces), and light make-up. I try very hard to set good professional examples for my students.
