Speaking in a clear and precise manner, dress professional and act professional.
Hi Peggy,
Good point about sharing information that shows the students that you understand where they are coming from. We all are former students ourselves, even if our students don't believe it. So we do understand their situations and are there to be supportive and help them be successful if they will put forth the effort.
Gary
When teaching HR classes I expect the students to respond in manners that are equitable and I in turn establish classroom policies that are consistent which enforces the rules taught in HR Law. I also share with my students my personal professional achievements and developments.
I like to tell them my story. It is unusual and it does bring about a discussion. I want them to know That I have been in their place and that it is all worth it! I talk about the struggles and the great feelings once it is complete. I want them to see it is not just a jump, skip, and a hop; and you are successful but that it is attainable!Peg Rapai
Ways I can model behavior that will help my students to succeed in their career field is to use appropriate language or terminology. My students are typically in the IT field and focusing on the appropriate terminology and proper use of the terms is essential in helping them.
Time management is another way to help students. Beginning the class on time and using the chat time properly is essential. It is also important to provide grades and feedback comments within a predetermined time period.
Conducting myself in a professional manner, demonstrating leadership qualities and displaying confidence in my knowledge and ability are additional positive modeling behaviors that will help students succeed in their career field. In my experience students model what they are exposed to.
In addition, I teach in an online environment and it's essential to demonstrate that you are student focused and want the best for your students.
Hi Marjorie,
Welcome to the teaching profession. I wish you much success in helping to educate the next generation of hygienists and leave a legacy of professionalism for them to follow. I know you are going to do well as an educator by the comments you have made and the professional development plan you have created for yourself.
Gary
I have been a dental hygienist in private practice for for over 20 years. I am now embarking on a new endeavour of teaching my profession to students preparing to become dental hygienists. I enjoyed this section as I prepare to transition from private practice to academia. Professionalism is very important in our field. After reading this section, I will be especially conscious of my dress, language, conduct, time (this is especially important in our field,) and stepping out as a leader. I will practice the 5 "C's."
Hi Melissa,
So true. If you aren't excited and enthused it is for sure your students won't be.
Gary
i agree!you need to be humble as well as confident!
I think you need to put forth the feeling that you love what youre doing and make them feel they want to be a part of something that will give them the same feeling.
I arrive early and this allows interaction time with the students. I try to dress professionally but not too formally as to create a visual distancing between me and my students. I also try to speak to them respectfully, and also informally if the occasion calls for it; this helps them be more at ease and receptive to dialogue.
I always get to the class at least 20 minutes early and set everything up, and make sure that I start on time. During the course I make sure to share stories about what works and what doesn't work in the workplace. I also give them pointers as to what makes a successful portfolio and resume.
Hello,
I begin with might appear to be quite simple but, is in fact, highly important; be punctual, quiet and observant.
Hi Scott,
Thank you for these wonderful comments. You have given us all a mini-lesson on how to impress and influence the start of a successful class. Many new instructors are going to benefit from your timely advice.
Gary
It all starts when you walk in the room. From my experience, the first impression is made within 5 seconds. Before you ever open you mouth you have made an impression. That first impression is based on how you dress, your body language, etc. Modeling a good first impression equates to modeling how students should conduct themselves as a professional in a workplace or on an interview.
Of course, the role model figure goes beyond this and much deeper. You can serve as a role model by the choices you make, admitting mistakes, following through, showing respect, demonstrating confidence.
The choices you make apply to inside and outside of the classroom. This means that what you do, how you act, and what you say in both settings can have an impact on how students view you.
Admitting mistakes is critical to teaching. When students see that it is okay to make a mistake, they are much more likely to do the same. This is an important skill not only in the classroom, but also in the professional workforce. Nothing good comes from covering up mistakes.
Follow through with what you say. When you make a commitment, it is critical that you keep on task and meet deadlines. No job allows for poor follow through, so modeling this from day one is important. Students who develop this skill are much more likely to succeed in the areas of time management and organization.
Give all of your students the respect they deserve. Treat them like an adult and give them the opportunity to grow. Demeaning students will likely result in you losing credibility, not the student.
Display confidence, but don't be over confident. There is a difference. Confidence doesn't mean covering up mistakes or faking knowledge, it means displaying a can do attitude and showing students that by believing in yourself, you can do most anything.
Set the example as one with strong work ethic.Expect no less than your best.
Hi Chris,
Good advice for instructors. Instructors are models whether they want to be or not. So they need be the professionals that set the standard for the field.
Thanks.
Gary
By protraying yourself with confidence, humility, and respect we are showing the students how to act in a professional setting. The only way to show someone how to be a professional is to act like one.
Hi Donald,
Good strategy. This is making it real for the students as they will be in such situations in the very near future so they need to be able to respond to these situations in a knowledgeable way.
Gary
Many of my students have to brief senior level leaders shortly after leaving my course. I try to give them several examples of good briefing techniques by incorporating short military type briefings into my classes. I role play as an instructor to help show them what skill sets they need to effectively convey the message they are trying to send.
