Hi Cynthia,
It is so much easier to establish and enforce your class management polices if the students see you as a person of authority that is following such polices. Also, they can see how through your modeling of the proper behaviors how these behaviors will help them in their career growth later on.
Gary
I lead by example is my motto. For example being on time to class, not chewing gum or using your cell phone in class. Being prepared for class etc
Royal So very true I always tell classes not to go into a career just for $$$ because if they don't really like it and have pride in their work they'll be competing with folks who do that that extra boost and so their success is less likely.
Dennis
Discuss your accomplishments based on your own experience. As an instructor explain why you think the situation was a success, and how to achieve that success.
Depending on the situation I sometimes use less successful examples, but I try to be very careful. You want students to learn from mistakes, but not have built in excuses.
Hi Royal,
So important for students to understand. You need to have pride in your career area and enjoy being a part of that profession. If you don't then you need to find a career that will enable you to have that pride and excitement about being a part of it.
Gary
I so agree with the idea of creating personal pride in your career choice. A lifetime is a long time to not have pride and respect for the job you do. It is also very telling to those in charge if you are just trying to get by without that personal pride.
To me it is like practicing what you preach. If you don't show high levels of interest and support for what you do, the student will take that attitude. Students must see that you are dedicated and comptetent, or the class will just be something they have to get through. Dress and attitude are important professional needs to be an effective role model. Being on-time and and taking an active role in the learning process are paramount issues for creating a positive role model as an instructor. Creativity and varied learning activities are also essential for modeling as an instructor
Hi All,
Modeling professional behavior is very important in helping to set the stage for the development of student success.
What are some strategies that have been successful for you in helping to build student confidence in the academic areas such as math?
Gary
Dress professionally
Be well prepared (concise lesson plans).
Know the material well, as well as, the goals you are guiding your students toward.
Be confident
and interact in an open and relaxed manner with students.
I teach Mathematics and I find this last point is important to reduce the anxiety students have towards math.
Hi Anne,
So do I. I just wish my students came equipped with them. It would save me so much time and them effort because they are still trying to learn how to write even though they are in college.
Gary
It is true. I am a new teacher and I would like to be a role model for my students. I remember that I fell in love with geography just for the way my instructor was talking and presenting this subject. He was able to transmit his passion to us, the students. He created an environment where students learned because they liked it and perceived it as something they wanted to do and not as something they had to do.
Hi Vincent,
Good to hear about how the 5 C's can be used to improve and expand instructional effectiveness. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Hi Mary,
Excellent way of expressing how you see your profession and your instructional obligations. By setting your standards high you are giving your students a model to which they can aspire. Soft skills (career skills) are essential for career success. If the students embrace the values of integrity, honesty and caring they will be successful in their career choice of nursing because these values will become ingrained into their daily lives. By dressing and communicating in a professional manner the students will see much progress in career advancement once they go to work.
Gary
I teach the three c's of business writing: clean, clear, and concise... gotta love those c's ;)
I really enjoyed the five C's of effective Teaching which I feel also makes a positive role model if i may recite from the reading they are as follows
•Credible – Students must be able to trust what you tell them.
•Candid - Be forthright in explaining student status, growth, etc.
•Compassionate - Show your students that you care about them.
•Committed - Show your students that you care about teaching.
Clear - Obfuscation (confusing people) is counterproductive
Gary,
I agree - we can be role medels for students so they can learn how to feel 'good' about themselves and the quality of their work.
Dennis
Hi Julie,
You are so right about how important the "career or soft skills" are to student success. If they don't have these skills they will not be successful even if they have the technical skills since they won't be able to work with others, show up at work and solve problems.
Gary
As an instructor and role model for students, I will always dress in an appropriate manner. Appropriate dress relates to the setting of the interaction. Business attire is appropriate for the classroom setting while scrubs and lab jackets set the stage for lab and clinical experiences.
Another important area of role modeling is in the use of language. Slang and coarse language has become the norm in much of today's society. To help students succed I will model professional language at all times. This includes all interactions with the student, from classroom to one-to-one instruction. The area of language also includes the use of nonverbal language. It is essential to teach appropriate and clear message sending through personal example of congruent verbal and nonverbal messaging. The message must always portray professionalism.
To be a positive role model my conduct must always be professional and convey professional honesty and integrity. As an instructor and a Registered Nurse, my behavior will always be respectful, fair and consistent with the ethical convictions of nursing practice. Also, for my conduct to be respectful, I will be on time in both the classroom, at clinicals and will be timely as I provide feedback to my students.
It is also important to be a leader to the students and have the intestinal fortitude to stand up for the student, identify any inequity the student may encounter and work with the system to minimize conflict that may be encountered. To be a leader that the students will want to follow, I must have expertise in the field, and have the integrity and values of a professional nurse educator. It is also essential to convey a professional confidence that will allow the students to believe in my ability to lead, teach and enable them to learn the technical skills to be a nurse. Most importantly it is vital, through my role modeling, that the students embrace the values of integrity, honesty and, most of all, the essential attribute of caring. After all, nursing is caring.
Part of what will help students get ready is to have a strong foundation in discipline knowledge. That is our primary raison d'etre.
I am a new instructor, and have not taught my first class yet, but as I have been observing I have noticed that alot of students are not at all ready to be in their career field emotionally. I think, as an instructor, that we can teach them simple behaviors such as being on time to class and knowing what type of language is acceptable. Therefore, as this behavior is learned in the classroom, it will carry over in the career field as well.
