Hi Laura,
For me, providing the knowledge skills, and behavior for success at work is a primary goal. Along with that includes the soft skills such as professionalism, attendance and punctuality, dress and appearance, and appropriate language, ethics, and values that will assist in first getting, then keep a job.
Barry Westling
The goal of educating students is important. We are talking about teaching adults and they are worse than children! Using different media would be very beneficial to the class.
Hi Joseph,
Interesting...vision, a hoped for result that students will acquire from the instruction we provide. Having a vision is important and may be a part of what a student receives, whether it be a goal or not. But I can say with confidence some students begin their program of study with only a vague "hope for a job", become motivated and inspired through the learning process, and begin to strive for fullfilment of a vision for a better future for themselves and their family.
Barry Westling
Just as I sit here replying to this question, I'm reminded, through my having been educated about computer technology, that without that knowledge, the screen is just something that I can look at and enjoy. The end! OH, wait, there's more. . . Someone took the time, used their lifelong experience, and developed the skills, to present me with an opportunity. The ability to "Understand" that there's a universe chock-full of things that I can accomplish with a computer. Then the educator said something "Really Important". He told me, "There's things that you can do with this computer, that I might only dream about. I've given you a little peek, now you have to develop a Vision." The goal of educating students is: Using all your skills, to help people see, and realize their "Visions"
Hi James,
I would agree but also add that assisting students ready themselves for the work setting should be a component of our mission. This may include soft skills along with career specific uniquenesses that will ultimately contribute to successfulness on the job (material that is beyond the theory, textbook, or idealistic aspect usually required in most career fields).
Barry Westling
to prepare them for the real world with real life situations.
The goal is to help the students understand what the objective is of the class and help them understand the course material.
Hi Dellene,
I'm with you. Creating a confidence goes beyond learning the material. Like you, I think instilling confidence in students takes extra effort and is not automatically "acquired", just becasue a student does well in a class. Some students need extra nuturing, and caring, thoughtful encouragement.
Barry Westling
My goal as a teacher is to give my students my best so that they will have the skills, knowledge, and confident to succeed in the workforce.
To prepare students for life and give them proper knowledge in their field
Hi Timothy,
True - continuing education is a mark of a professional, a necessity for career-minded people, and essential to stay current with the trends of a particular trade.
Barry Westling
The goal of educating students is to give them the appropriate skills and tools to survive in this world physically, mentally and economically. If we do this correctly, a student's learning process flourishes and continues throughout life. Using nursing as an example, it is one thing to become a nurse. An individual can stay a staff nurse all of their life until they retire and be completely happy. In the civilian workd, if you do not continue to move up or continue to aquire new skills your pay will remain the same and you will not get ahead. In the US Army you must move up in rank or move out. You cannot just stay a staff nurse your whole career and you cannot stay a certain rank for 20 years. There are certain Military and civilian education requirements one must complete to be promoted and stay in. To advance passed Major one must have a Masters of PhD.
Our goal is to teach the students that their education must continue after formal schooling and which may not only include professional skills but "life" skills and other topics.
Hi Billy,
Learning to communicate is essential. I think using practical examples from whatever caeer field the class is studying helps make your class topics more effective. Of course the need to know a little about their field helps immensely. Asking knowledgeable teachers from these different disciplines to list the 10 most important topics from their field, or providing a narrative that describes their profession with specific tasks and/or skill sets required for the profession might help become more informed.
Barry Westling
Hi Destiny,
Success is awesome and perhaps we contribute to it. I'm convinced that a student mut have drive, desire, vision, and some appitude for true successfulness to be realized.
Barry Westling
I teach general education at a technical college needed for an associate's degree. My goal is both general and technical. I am trying to teach the general skills of effective communication as it applys to their chosen technical field. I teach some skills that they should have acquired in early educational experiences as those specifically will be used in whatever technical field they have chosen. How does writing a good narrative apply to nursing notes or reports to a welding or heating and air conditioning field. How do they report their findings and observations to a prospective client or to the medical staff with whom they are working through process analysis and cause and effect essays. Oh yes, I teach critical thinking through an area called critical reading. There is some work in logic as they develop their paragraphs.
To build their skills toward their career goal and toward the experience of life long learning.
The goal of educating students is to see them succeed. It is a personal reward of mine to see students achieve their goals!
Hi Thomas,
It's said a good education can never being taken away from someone, and provide a career that spans many years. It's also said "the life we've had doesn't have to be the life we have". Therefore we are challenged to provide knowledge that pertains to job, but whenever possible, life skills that will last a lifetime.
Barry Westling
To assist them in becoming successful self learners.
In the career college setting we tend to focus on the immediacy of getting a job, but successful means that they become self motivated self learners in order to keep that job and prosper in jobs yet to be created and or defined.
Hi Mahnaz,
Well certainly if no learning occurs after completion of a course, either the teacher or the student did not try. Sometimes it may be both entities. But getting the skills, knowledge and behavior that readies a student for the work setting usually also sets them up for for a better quality of life and successful career.
Barry Westling
