Hi Regan:
Good points. I noticed you said "try to correct weaknesses". I agree. The hard part is knowing how to assess where a weakness exists and then (perhaps even more difficult), being willing to adapt, modify, or make adjustments in that weaker trait.
I think better instructors are willing to adjust their behavior when they learn of defiencies in an effort to help their students. Unfortunately, for whatever reasons, some individuals are relunctant or just refuse to make personal changes, even when they are made aware or or become apparent.
Regards, Barry
Instructing is no different than any other aspect of life, you must know your strengths and weakness in order to succeed. Strengths are of true benefit to a student, espeically in a clinical setting. On the other hand, weakness, could deter students from learning or experiencing aspects of the feild that could be important, therefore hopefully one would recognize their own weakness and try to correct it or look to assistance from others.
Hi Randy:
Good observation about immediate disengagement.
One way to offset this is to set expectatations about when you have to read from the text. For instance, if students know they will be asked to read a portion, ask questions from, or will have a quiz on the material from a certain page, or some part of their grade is tied to their following you along, then they are more apt to listen, pay attention, and participate.
That said, I agree that real life examples are always better than plain reading from the text. It keeps you more natural, and I think students will warm up to someone when they feel more comfortable with the instructor.
Regards, Barry
I have had a very good connection to students in terms of getting information through to them in manner that they can truly understand, learn, and build upon. I try to avoid reading out of textbooks verbatim, because I notice an almost immediate disengagement from the students. I like to share personal, real-life examples of why certain things happen the way they do in a kitchen. I also spend a tremendous amount of time researching the "why" of cooking, because most cookbooks and recipes will never tell you many of those things. If I were to stand in front of a class of eager young cooks and announce, "Alright everybody--just like the book says; make sure you add the liquid very slowly and don't add the butter until the very end with the heat off," what would my purpose be to them? They can read just fine!
Hi Karen:
One key word I heard you say was adapt. Let me tell you as as seasoned instructor, if you can grasp that concept you will successful in all your teaching days.
Regards, Barry
I am a new instructor and I am learning 'the ropes' so to speak. I understand that you have to know yourself as an instructor and adapt yourself for different students but my thing is how do you adapt/get through to students who just don't seem to understand why they are in class/school?
Hi Craig:
Feeling strong in yourself and your abilities certainly contributes a sense of leading the class with knowledge, experience, and authority. Thanks for sharing.
Regards, Barry
I feel that if your not solid with yourself or or the depth of your own experience, you will have a difficult time gaining the confidence and control of your class.
Hi Alana:
Great! Your willingness to adapt is a big thing (not all are willing - they're set in their ways). Feedback in the form of questions asked, student affect, attention, even eye contact can give clues to how well someone is receiving information.
I also think a real key is to keep the information interesting by continiuous relating the instruction to the profession you're preparing your studnets for. You'll be giving them something they want, therefore, they'll be more likely to pay attention.
Regards, Barry
I think it is important to understand yourself as an instructor to enable yourself to adapt to students with different needs. If my lecture is not producing quality results, I need to be able to adjust to their needs. Without a self-evaluation mechanism in place, how would you know what areas need change?
Hi Gearld:
Your approach is terrific because it demonstrates a willingness to adapt and change - necessary ingridients for any competent instuctor. Good job!
Regards, Barry
Hi Ronald:
Thanks for sharing. I find students like hearing about my more human trials and errors, and the situations that made me a better person. It's not like preaching "look what I did", but more of "this is what I became because of .....fill in the blank".
Regards, Barry
Barry,
I have noticed with my students that at times I do not reach all of them at the same time. I have also noticed that the ones I have the hardest time reaching are those that are more like me than I am willing to admit. In looking back I must have driven some of my instructors nuts. I also looked at the ones who taught me the most by evaluating what was their technique and what was my personality like during that time frame. At different times I needed different aspects of all the types of instructors. I have realized that I am leading them on a journey through the jungle of my craft. Like any other jungle there are entanglements and pitfalls. I tell them of my experiences with the pitfall and what helped me through them. When they realize that I have made the same mistakes that they are making and that I was able to achieve higher aspects of my career field even though I stumbled and learned from it, as they may. Even the challenges are fun.
Not understanding yourself as an instructional leader would equate to having a road map with no idea of how to follow it. I consider myself to be constantly changing and adapting to new and different approaches to instruction in my classroom and believe that this "attitude" keeps me on my toes, and in the long run benefits my students. Self-awareness is critical in our journey of life.
