It's important to understand myself as an instructional leader, because it helps with knowing what strengths and weaknesses I possess as an instructor. By know what I am capable of as an instructor it allows be to work on showing this in the class, where is with my limitations, I can stay away from trying to incorporate them as much so that I can improve on them and implement at a later time.
Lisa,
In settings where the teachers don't care about their students success because "they get paid whether the student learns or not, or is even there or not" there is little incentive other than personal integrity and responsibility to want to help students learn. Most teachers in career schools would not last long with this mentality. The student (as a paying customer) is our chief concern, and their successfulness ofen tied to our continued employment. So although that should not be the motivation, it is a factor. As teachers, we should have a passion for what we teach, deliver it with enthusiasm, provide it in an upbeat manner, and use variety in resources to make classes interesting and enjoyable. If we show we care, and are genuine and approachable, students will often overlook other minor personality or mannerisms, if the students feel we are sincerely concerned for their successfulness.
Barry Westling
Understanding yourself is important not only as an instructional leader but as a person in general. It is important to know your temperament and your speaking ability along with any mannerisms and body language. Mannerisms and body language can be distracting to learners of any age but extremely distracting to adult learners especially. They will pick up on body language more so than younger learners. As an adult learner myself I was distracted by many of my professors mannerisms and body language.
Samuel,
Good. Its a fact, we all have strengths and weaker areas, both in personlity and teaching effectiveness. It's natural to gravitate to what feels the best or what we're good at, whether that's in the best interest of the student or not, or the best way to teach a class. So, first "knowing where we shine, and where there's room to realign" identify where improvement is needed. Second, having the willingness and openess to modify or adjust our ways through self awareness is the action that creates the opportunity for improvement. I think there's no end-point to this process either, it's kind of a life-long "work in progress".
Barry Westling
I think self-assessment and understanding is a prerequisite that differentiates a great instructor from a medicore one. Having content knowledge and experience is certainly an ingredient to success, but without the "well-rounded package" of knowing how our beliefs, values, personality, and style influence leanring - it would simply be a product of luck to create a perfect learning environment.
Instructors are human and thus prone to mistakes and a plethora of opportunities to reflect and improve to achieve a greater outcome. By understanding ourselves and our individual strengths and weaknesses, we can better forge an improvement plan to develop ourselves as coaches, mentors, and facilitators that can show students by example how to achieve academic greatness.
Kelly,
Great. I really don't think anyone expects everyone to be exemplary in every component of teaching. I think a lot of what we do is a "work in progress", and as long as we stay open and willing to improve we should achieve continued student successes and our weaker areas will become less significant or apparent.
Barry Westling
I personally think its important because it helps you understand your weakness and improve as a instructor and an individual. For example, my strong trait is organization, I'm always prepared for classes and the structure of the class, however, my weakness is being a strong speaker. Therefore the classroom environments allows me to practice and work on these weakness which therefore help me as individual in other areas of my life.
Qiana,
We all have weaker areas that can use improvement. But these shouldn't interfere with our effectiveness as teachers (unless we let them). I believe confronting areas we feel need improvemnt is an ongoing process, and we become stronger because it.
Barry Westling
Yvette,
Great! I think pondering how students perceive us and how we are presenting our lessons gives us insight into something about ourselves. It's worth taking time periodically to reflect on the class from the students perspective.
Barry Westling
You need to understand youself as a instructor to be able to help your students. It is important to know your instruction style as well as what your weakness is.
I know when I was a student I would push myself to go to certain classes because some instructors were serious all the time. When I became an instructor I wanted to make sure not only are the students learning but they would enjoy coming to class and enjoy the learning experience.
Edward,
Confidence comes from within, that inner feeling "I know my stuff". This is related to competence, which in some ways is a perception exhibited by students. Even in our weak areas, with competence and confidence, the student perception will be that of "I can learn something from this person".
Barry Westling
To teach a subject you must understand that subject and be comfortable with it. To be able to teach the subject you must understand yourself. That understanding will give you confidence which the students will pick up on and respond to. They will see you as an authority and seek out your guidance and opinion.
Angela,
Great! And this effect is what gives us the title "experienced educator". Overtime, we grow, and improve. That makes us better and usually this shows in student outcomes.
Barry Westling
Every term that goes by, not only do I understand the material better and improve, but I learn more about myself and improve my instruction to better fit my students needs.
William,
Strengths create clarity and direction. Weaknesses are future opportunities for creativity and effective instruction.
Barry Westling
It is just like the saying, "You dont know where you are going if you dont know where you have been." Or even better, the ancient greek saying, "First, know thyself." By understanding your strentghs and weaknesses you can strat to draw out a plan. You will most certainly want to incorporate your strengths into the classroom. Also, by knowing and admitting to your weaknesses you can work on improving them.
Kay,
Great. I believe we can only grow when we are willing to try new things, learn frtom mistakes, and acfcept that we will always be in a place where improvement will help us become better teachers.
Barry Westling
Without understanding of self there is no ability to transfer inforamtion to others. Know thy self first and then presume to know what others need.
Hi Edward,
Loved your post. I agree, understanding yourself is essentail in ensuring that others will understand you.
