There are so many students awaiting that special person that will open so many doors! Knowing yourself will put you in a place to meet those special desires of awaiting students. Magic will happen with the content and applied skills of your essence in the study.
Hi James:
These are great points. Additionally, by knowing ourselves, we can continually strive to make improvements in both our strengths and weaknesses to become more effective.
Regards, Barry
Hi Jackie:
This is excellent! And, by knowing ourselves, we can continually strive to make ongoing improvements in both our strengths and weaknesses.
Regards, Barry
Hi Mitchell:
One other consideration is that by knowing yourself, you can continually strive to make improvements in both your strengths and weaknesses.
Regards, Barry
Hi Ashia:
That's exactly the point! By making improvements on both strengths AND weaknesses, we ultimately become more effective instructors.
Regards, Barry
Hi Melissa:
You make a great point - we become more effective when we can identify both our strengths and weakness because we can improve upon both.
Regards, Barry
Hi Joe:
By knowing ourselves as instructors, we can continually strive to make improvements on both our strong areas and our weak ones too.
Regards, Barry
A man's got to know his limitations. ~Dirty Harry. By knowing who you are, your personality type, you can play to your strengths in the classroom. The goal is to present the material the best way you can so the students understand and learn from it and you.
Understanding yourself as an instructor is always important because it will determine the way students react to your teaching style. React is probably not the best term, but I couldn't think of a better term. We always discuss different types of learners, well, different types of instructors will interact with those different types of instructors in unique ways. Understanding yourself will lead you to be able to interact with those different types of learners better. I know that I tend to be the drill-sergeant type, and I knew that before I even saw that term in this course. While that tends to work well with some students, I know it also causes many students to react negatively, and when I realize this, I have to try and tone down my drill-sergeant style and try to interact with that student in different ways.
I want to have an understanding so that I may be the most effective at delivering content. Also, If I don't know what it means to be an instructional leader then the class will likely have problems, from either a learning or behavioral aspect.
Understanding yourself, your personality, your morals, biases, your strengths and weaknesses allows you to appreciate the same in other individuals you encounter in the class room
Hi Paul:
Very true. On the other hand, we should also be mindful of our weaknesses to, so that we may work to improve upon them when possible.
Regards, Barry
Hi Gregory:
You make a good point - knowing strengths and weaknesses. By knowing these, we can constantly strive to make improvements in both!
Regards, Barry
Hi Geraldyne:
Another good thing knowing yourself as an instructor is good for is to make continual improvements in both strengths AND weaknesses we have as instructors.
Regards, Barry
Hi Ronald:
We all have our self perceived perspective of our actions, our poresence, our contritubition, effort, and significance to to a discussion or teaching session. The more I know nmyself, the better equipped I am to be able to adapt, adjust, and blend to achieve the most effecyive learning outcomes.
You're right, a misperception could be disastrous!
Regards, Barry
I find it important for a variety of reasons. First, you have changed roles from the student to the instructor which is a huge leap especially for people who are fresh out of a student-instruction phase. Then on top of switching sides, you have to remember that you are not there to be the friend or the buddy, but the instructor. Third, you have to be conscious of the changes in the field and teaching methods otherwise you will be behind and your students will not get what they need.
I find that is what is so amazing about becoming an educator, you switch sides and sign up for a lifetime of change and study. You will be essentially a perpetual student.
Therefore, it is important to know what type of instructional leader you are so you can give the most to creating a learning environment.
Because it allows you to see things from a holistic standpoint; your strengths, weaknesses, but more importantly how students react in the learning process because of you! The effect can be major!!!
When you understand the type of instructional leader that you are, you can be more cognizant of any weaknesses you have in the class room. If you are aware that running late or being disorganized are issues for you, working on these issues should be very important to improve your teaching skills! A well respected teacher should be on time, and highly organized!
I believe that there are a great many reasons as to why self-awareness is crucial to ones effectiveness as an instructor. Perhaps the most important being an understanding of what could be termed an instructors “central tendency†in order to more objectively assess when the class, and/or the material, demand deviation from it.
Any one instructional method, even those that routinely require students to get out of their seats, or debate some topic, if done too frequently, lead to boredom and predictability.
In order to maintain an adequate instructional tone, you need to be aware of both your “default†instructional style as well as the energy level of the class in order to “mix it up†and catalyze greater levels of interest and curiosity during the instructional process.
If I am not aware of my teaching style I won't know what to look for from students to see if they got what I am trying to get across to them. I also think students like consistency, once they figure you out they are more comfortable. If you haven't found your nitch in your style and you float all over the place the students don't know what to expect from you.
