Professionalism for the first day
There are so many good topics and discussion threads posted to this site already. One thing that I think is part of the professionalism component that goes along with management is how you choose to greet your students on the first day. Obviously a good instructor should arrive early and be prepared to facilitate their subject matter, but that first impression is a lasting impression that will often set the tone of the course. Some tips that I would like to share that I am sure most great instructors do are listed below. I would love additional feedback and suggestions on this list from anyone. Thanks, -Andy
Great instructors will:
1. Meet and greet each student with respect. This includes a friendly handshake, direct eye contact, and a welcome as introduce yourself and identify the student's name. This direct contact makes the first connection.
2. Learn something personal about their students. I believe that we should know why each student is in our classroom, what they are interested in, and something that is completely unrelated to the course. I often find that learning a little information about the student helps form an additional connection and trust that must be shared between the instructor and student. It makes for a great conversation starter to show your students your level of commitment to them. I will always make it a point to try and speak with each student briefly in passing if nothing more than to ask them how their personal goals are being achieved.
3. Set the tone and boundaries the first day. Let it be know what your expectations are and follow your own rules. This is basic teaching, but can still be done with compassion for your students. Remember, students want to be treated like adults and not kids. If you command respect then you must be willing to show respect.
That being said, there are any more things that could be discussed here, but I feel that these are just a few tips that people reading this may find value in. I would love any additional thoughts on this subject. Sincerely, -Andy
Great topic for discussion and I agree with Nathaniel. I have started asking each student to write down what he/she expects to learn in the class and why he/she is here.
Andy,
Thank you so much for the information. I am new to the teaching field. I have been a nurse for over fifteen years in the long term care setting and am now entering the new and exciting world of training certified nursing assistants.
I am in the classroom early and greet each student individually. I try to learn something about each one at that time. I use a seating chart so that I can begin to learn names as quickly as possible. Each student tells something about themselves and I try to break the ice with a funny story about myself.
I became a student at the age of 37 so I understand the first day jitters and "not fitting in".
I cannot wait to try some of the suggestions in the course when my next class starts in October.
Thanks for the great topic Mr. Andrew Alton. I agree completely with all of your points.
I will add an additional thought to the discussion.
" I believe that we should know why each student is in our classroom, what they are interested in" - Andy Alton
Once I have done this, I'd tie the course content and competencies to their responses in order to inspire the student's participation and involvement throughout the course.
Andy,
Thank you for these comments about demonstrating professionalism and making a positive first impression. Your list is spot on and I know will be valuable to other instructors, especially those just beginning their teaching careers. You with your brings out the human factor as the key component in relation to setting the stay for positive learning experiences for the students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
