An instructor personality plays a huge role. If the student feels like the instructor do not have a good personality, then they may not be interested in the course and may not want to listen to what the instructor has to say, which can affect their learning abilities. I like to have a fun and bubbly personality a refer alot of my class content to life so they can relate to not only the topic easily but to me as a human being and stay focus and interested in the class to get more out of what I'm teaching.
Chris,
This is good. think being authenic and genuine works the best, as each instructor has their own, unique personality. Common to all would be patience, caring, approachable, good sense of humor, and willingness to listen. These traits, along with competent instruction will help ensure the best course and student outcomes.
Barry Westling
I believe that the personality of the instructor can have a major impact on the quality of the student's classroom experience. I have a very easygoing personality and my instruction follows my personality.
Dennis,
I think comments that convey the instructor was once a student and may have experienced similar personal challenges is helpful to bringing a closer student connection. For some reason, students seem to enjoy stories. Integrating stories into the lesson can be accomplished with case studies, discussing past good and bad work situations, or stories that illustrate a point in the lesson. In all settings, we have to be genuine versions of ourselves or else students may perceive our instruction is a performance, which may diminish trust and respect by students.
Barry Westling
Understanding one's personality is crucial in teaching. I learned from teachers whose personality was congenial and engaging. Most people can develop their personalities to better fit their teaching live. However, our personalities are who we are. I try to engage students in the joy of learning by setting up situations that lead them to the "aha" moment. If I am enthusiastic and engaged, students will more likely be so too. Reading poems with passion and inflection, for example, may bring the poem alive to students. Talking about moments when I was a student helps them realize that I also struggled at times as a college student. I try to relate personal experiences that are relevant to the subject under consideration whenever possible. This humanizes the classroom and gives students a new slant on the material.
Diane,
Terrific! Creating an environment for just about any topic that's pertinent, informative and interesting is quite a talent. It adds flavor to the meal. It helps students retain information better. And students relate to, and like stories. They connect prior learning with new information through the connection link of stories, case studies, and past (good and bad) work situations.
Barry Westling
I am a curious person by nature and love telling stories that help spark the curiosity in my students. This approach helps me turn the most boring, dry material (typically general education courses at our career and technical college) into something relevant and worth the attention of my students. I make good use of analogies and metaphors when explaining difficult concepts in mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Students stay engaged, and when they start creating their own analogies and metaphors, I really know that they are learning.
Eddy,
We all can be approacable, patient, and care about our students learning. These traits along with our unique personalities out to make any class a successful one.
Barry Westling
By Eddy Mojena
I'm a person that is organized and prepared which also shows to students that they need to apply within so they also use in the career world.
Daniel,
I agree. Enthusiastic and passionate instructors make classes more interesting and contribute to a positive tone that make students perk up and want to participate.
Barry Westling
Personality is huge. Instructors need to be on time, organized, knowledgeable, and skilled orators. In addition, instructors need to be confident, yet approachable. They need to maintain an upbeat personality in order to engage the students and keep the classroom atmosphere from becoming too tiresome. Instructors also need to be receptive and understanding to students' needs and concerns and questions.
Anthony,
Right, I agree. We have to be authentic and genuine in our presentation to students. Conveying confidence, competence, and patience with students suggests we are capable of leading to successful completion of their class.
Barry Westling
Gail,
These are very creative ways to make a point that stays with the students. It's important fo instructors to be free to express their unique personalities, as that that is when the most creativity will emerge.
Barry Westling
Different teachers have different personalities, as do students. It is important that you know your personality and cater towards that so that you can play up your strengths as a teacher. This will ensure that your classes are fun and engaging, which will help your students learn better, and be more interested in the class.
My personality enjoys having as much fun in my delivery, when possible. For instance, when studying the thyroid, all students blew up a balloon and taped it onto their necks as a goiter, making a visual for for hypothyrodism. While studying deep vein blood clots in legs, student applied support hose on each other showing one of the treatments. They laughed,, had fun and took pictures of themselves.
Robert,
I agree. For PPT slides, I use a wireless remote slide advancer that has a laser pointer and a "screen to black" button. This allows me to interrupt the PPT slides in order to write, discuss, question, explain, or demonstrate. Then, a quick push of the button brings me right back where I left off. Not earthshaking, but a handy technique.
Barry Westling
I like to use powerpoint presentations in my classroom, but I will use the whiteboard often to change up my method of delivery of the information. If I start to over use one or the other I think the students get bored and you begin to loose their intrest. I also like to adlib during class and the whiteboard gives me more flexibility in the pace and order of delivery of the information.
Kyle,
We really have to be authenic versions ourselves in order for for us to be effective, honest, and sincere about our instruction.
Barry Westling
The personality can allow you to be a good class manager or instructional leader. However if we are choosing delivery methods that don't fit our personality, we will not be effective.
Edward,
I think better PPT slides merely guide the instructor to enable to enhance their lecture or discussion. Trying to put all the mayterial a student needs on a slide is an arduous task, and is not the best way to give material to students anyway. We can shine when elaborating on points made from mere bullet points on a PPT slide.
Barry Westling
