Loving what you do.
I am a first time teacher. I believe that my students can honestly tell that I love the profession I am teaching about. I also believe that it gives me creditability with the students when it comes to the "not so fun stuff" in the classroom.
Jeannette,
Enthusiasm and passion for one's field goes a long way in helping students to see how what is being taught is of value to them. They see the ROI in what they are learning.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
You must love teaching,I believe that teachers are born. I believe that you must believe in what you are doing and become the best you can be
This is not my first time eaching but I honestly love what I do. I love the students and Iam very passionate about the field which i have choosen. People will forever get there hair done and the money will always flow. I do take my job serious and the love of the job is wonderful.
I agree. You must have a passion for people and different learning styles to be successful in education.
Hi Laura,
I always love hearing these stories. I know your students appreciate the fact that you are dedicated to your field and their success. Combining the two and you have a combination designed for success.
Gary
I have been working in the field that I am now teaching in for 31 years. I am still in love with the job that I do and the constant changes which require me to continually learn more. I have found in my teaching that my enthusiam for what I do and the fact that I am always learning helps the students to see that you never stop your education. Securing the job does not mean stopping the education.
Wow.. I agree. If you love the subject, they will see it, and be drawn to it. I was told a long time ago: "find out what you love to do, then find a way to get paid to do it, if you want to be happy" To students with a poor attitude, I like to remind them...We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are.
Hi Sandy,
Good point and one that all instructors need to remember. The human factor is an essential part of being a teacher. This helps with the development of student rapport as well.
Gary
You definitely have to be down to earth and human with your class. Being a dictator isn't helpful to too many students.
Hi Deb,
Thanks for sharing your excitement about how you are going to develop your teaching persona. The mirror method can do much to show you where and how you want to position yourself as a presenter. A lot of what we do is showmanship so be the "ringmaster" and let the greatest show on earth--your class begin.
Gary
I LOVED the enthusiasm of the Harvard professors on the videos. I hung on every word!
So I wondered, how can I project that? I went and looked in the mirror, and tried to copy his enthusiasm. I thought it would look stupid, but hey it looked good! Interesting, and exciting. Then I tried doing it serious... BORING!!
I'm going to try working with the mirror a lot, to prepare.
MaryAnne,
You are so correct! Students can read our love for our profession in our face, in our voice and the way we carry ourselves. I too believe my students see my passion for teaching and even though they grumble and grown through some of the assignments, all I have to do is tell them how they will utilize those skills in their jobs and they are suddenly willing to do the work.
Hi Kori,
Welcome to the profession. I agree it must run in the family as you are now making up the second generation of teachers in your family. I wish you much success as an educator.
Your topic though maybe not always valued by students is an essential one as you well know so the opportunities you have to share math with your students is a great one. By being dedicated and expanding your knowledge and expertise as evidenced by your work on your Masters you are showing your students that you care about them and their success.
Gary
I am also a first time teacher. I thought I never wanted to teach until I was offered this job. And I love it! My Dad is a retired Professor, so I guess it runs in the family. I really enjoy sharing my love of the subject I teach with the students, even though they do not always love the subject. I am thinking of getting my Masters in Post-Secondary Ed, that's how much I enjoy teaching. By the way I teach Math.
I would agree with the opinion that it is good for a class to see that you are human and can make mistakes too. It also shows the instructor that the class is paying attention!
Finally, it helps bring hom ethe point that just becasue we make mistakes, we do not give up. The real world is tough and it takes perseverance to succeed in school and in employment.
Hi Thomas,
Good point. This is why classroom management is so important. We need to make sure we maintain control of the class and enable all of our students to learn, even those that want to upset the learning environment.
Gary
Hi MaryAnne,
You make a key point about how the carry over of excitement can help students when they are doing some of the less than exciting parts of the course. This way they know you care about the total aspects of not only the field but their success as well.
Gary
Not in the online environment. These students are here all by choice and older and more mature.
Love of what you do is a good thing, but can quickly give way to problems/difficulties in the classroom presented by students. Therefore it is necessary to develop competencies in dealing with classroom problems. Loving what you do also includes not allowing a small percentage of students to disrupt the learning process.
