Hi Shirley,
I have been in the academic setting for over (3) three years and have seen many types of students. Yes, there are some that will do anything possible to get on the so called "buddy" side of the instructor; but there are so many more that will work very hard and expect nothing but the grade and the treatment that they deserve and have earned.
For me, it has been more of the students who put forth every effort to be successful and reach out because they need something from me that will help them to achieve a goal that they have in mind.
Sharon Rogers
Nursing
Hi Mr. Jackson,
There are many characteristics or traits as you state, that are essential to good classroom management. I believe that an effective instructor must first engage her students in an interactive and exciting environment. They must be positive and have a great attitude when communicating. They must have respect, have patience, and treat students fairly and equally. It is crucial to have high expectations of your students, but let them know that because they are students; it is okay to ask any question and to make mistakes. The delivery of the information must be enthusiatic and interesting. Effective instructors need to communicate that it is possible for them to also learn from the student.
Sharon Rogers
Nursing
I agree. I teach Medical Assists, Medical Billers and Patient Care Tech. I find that Guide is the most effective method, however due to the many disciplinary issues as you stated I am more of a controller.
However, a lot of the times the disruptions are from my younger students who are just learning to establish discipline as a student.
Reynaldo, the goal is to become an effective Guide. A good Guide takes control and is friendly with students but not at the expense of achieving the necessary learning outcomes of the course.
James Jackson
David, the goal is to be a guide. A good guide can be friendly and retain control but you do not want to be a direct buddy or controller as both are not truly focused on student success. You may want to review the materials again and focus on the traits of the guide and how a good guide is able to best direct students down the road to achieving their learning objectives.
James Jackson
Bryan, excellent point. Nothing worse than letting students down by not keeping your word and not completing tasks you say you will complete or to be on time for meetings with students including classroom sessions. Thanks for your comments.
James Jackson
david, nothing wrong with getting involved, actually the more you know about your students the more you can assist them. The issue is not to get in the way of their education. They need you as a guide and not another friend. A friend will allow you not to reach your full potential, a guide leads by example and takes students outside their comfort zones with an Intelligent Heart.
James Jackson
Caren, well stated. Do you perform any actions on the first day of class to set expectations for your busy students? Thanks for any information you can share.
James Jackson
Respect for the students taking the course. They are busy people who are trying to squeeze school in to improve their knowledge in a particular field. Patience in dealing with people who have so much going on in their lives, or who are hesitant re-entering the classroom, or who do not understand how to act in a classroom setting.
After doing this course i can see some areas that i can improve .I need to be a little less a buddy more guide and a little more control.It is difficult when you spend your entire day with them not to get involved in there lives even in a small way.
Integrity is essential. You must do what you say you are going to do. Students will then develop respect and trust in you. Compassion is also essential. You never know exactly what your students are going through on a daily basis and if you treat them with compassion, they will be much more likely to succeed.
As I was reading through the course, I thought I personally go between a "buddy" and a "controller". Before I read the final thought on the combination, I thought that this may not be good. But, it turns out to be the traits of a good instructor. I must remember to keep an even balance between the two. Staying in one method for a long period of time is counter productive.
Respect and understanding of the students needs and goals.
I think all depends on the situation, your personality and the type of institution you are working at.
I work at private institutions where most of the students are adult students with many other responsibilities (family, work etc) but I also teach at Universities and colleges where the population is different.
If you are a very serious person can you become a funny person and show that in class? That might not be possible but depending on the situation you may have to do that.
I believe that if you are "the buddy" is because that is related to your personality. The same applies to "the controller" or "the guide". However depending on the situation you may have to change between the "buddy","guide"or "controller".
If you are running behind in a class you may need to become a "controller" and if students are happy and they want to share that happiness with you then you can not continue being "controller" and become a "buddy"
I am in the military and have taught classes throughout my career. I think the most positive characteristic that an instructor should lead by example. In other words, the behavior and demeanor of the instructor will be contagious and the students will follow. This usually sets the tone from the beginning and very few problems arise throughout the lessons. Additionally, keep the students engaged. It is only human to find other ways to occupy your time, so idle time is not productive towards positive classroom management.
An instructor that encompasses great classroom management means that they are able to keep their classroom in control with a focus on learning yet allows students to feel comfortable enough to be able to be themselves and ask questions. The instructor will be able to achieve teaching all of the learning objectives with the entire class understanding.
Susan, great post and thanks for sharing. We all can learn so much from those that have more experiences or have different experiences than ourselves. I do not know the source but I have heard it said that instructors make the worst students and I have seen this first hand at times. If we are to lead by example then we as instructors need to learn to be great students and always be ready to learn and take in new information. Thanks again for your awesome post and thanks for all that you do, keep up the great work.
James Jackson
Ruth, great point with respect to setting the stage and expectations the first day of class. You never get a second chance to make that first impression and this is where some instructors fail to take control and remain in controll from day one. Being in controll does not make one a controller over a guide as a good guide is always in control. The buddy just wants to get along with everyone and does not want to work hard to achieve their goals. The guide understands that they must bring their "A" game everyday to be successful and this level of effort is part of the job. Thanks for sharing and keep up the great work.
James Jackson
Robert, a guide is good at both. I do not see these as opposing in any way as both are required. In business my father always taught me to be fair but firm. Treat everyone equally but each situation needs to be evaluated on its own merit. If I would make an exception for one then make the same exception for anyone with the same circumstances. This does not imply that you break the rules for everyone but remain consistant for any given situation regardless of the individual. Getting to know your students and building rapport is only smart and allows you as the instructor to provide the best possible lesson plan to achieve the desired learning outcomes. You need to accomplish both to be truly successful.
James Jackson
Juanita, a good guide plays by the rules but knows when to bend with the wind. If the rules are so static that a robot can apply them then what is the role of the instructor? We teach and educate with an intelligent heart according to Dr. Joe Pace from The Pacific Institute. This is another way of saying that it takes a qualified instructor to teach and manage the classroom and we are not yet ready to just send students to classrooms ran by the computers.
James Jackson
