Defining Instructional Professionalism
How do you define instructional professionalism?
Jagrup,
It is important that students know how passionate you are about your field and how compassionate you are about helping them achieve success. With a blend of these two you are going to be a learning leader that facilitates student growth and learning.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Being compassionate about the field of study, treating all students with respect and fairness and basically, love teaching.
Lucille,
Good list of ways to demonstrate your dedication to your field and your students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
By conducting my class with passion, caring, knowledge of the subject ,appearance and heartfelt enthusiam.
Katherine,
The end product are your students and you are demonstrating to them what a professional in your field should be like. This is why you are having the success you are with your students and I commend you for the effort you are putting forth in this area.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Instructional professionalism is a little different for me than most faculty. There is significant research supporting nursing students learn how to "care" and nursing professionalism by watching their faculty. So as a nursing instructor, I know everything I do in the classroom and at the clinical facilities is constantly under scrutiny of my students. I don't worry about my evaluations because my students are successful. I would must rather hear from the nursing staff how much they want to hire my student after graduation than any praise from my director.
Lauren,
Sounds like you have found your balance with the different aspects of being an instructor. By keeping the attitude you have and striving to be professional at all times you are going to continue to toward developing into the instructor of merit that you want to be. I wish you continued teaching success!
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
As a very new and young college educator I found instructional professionalism to be as important as technical ability. It seemed that I was able to convince students quickly that I knew the material but that I was floundering a bit in the area of being viewed as the "instructor", especially by older students. Being professional for me meant not only being prepared, on-time, knowledgeable, and having a professional appearance, but finding that balance between empathy and compassion for students and their situations while maintaining and managing classroom decorum and behavior. This is something I continuously work on but wish I had had more training with before jumping into teaching.
Daniel,
Good way to plan for and deliver quality instruction that engages and impacts students. This is what teaching should be about.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Being prepared (in every way that you should be) for each class, knowing the material you are going to deliver and then facilitating a class that provides a comfortable environment for students to learn, exchange ideas and apply what they have learned.
Shelly,
This is a good point because some where along their educational journey they have to internalize what they are learning and how it applies to their future. When they do this they start to see the ROI in being in school and that increases their motivation level.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree that students respond to heartfelt enthusiam but it is also my experience that they appreciate opportunities to relate personnally to the subject matter. I seek to develop opportunities for them to learn about themselves and the subject.
I agree that students respond to heartfelt enthusiam but it is also my experience that they appreciate opportunities to relate personnally to the subject matter. I seek to develop opportunities for them to learn about themselves and the subject.
Lisa,
You have shared a very comprehensive list of what being a professional educator is about. We all need to consider this list when we are preparing our instruction to make sure we hit on these elements.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I define instructional professionalism as being a model for your students, showing love of the topic, and not giving them the idea that you are perfect by any means. Do not use bad language when expressing a topic and showing them your undrstanding of different styles of learning and being able to adapt to them as needed by the student. Also, starting class on time and organized and expecting the same from them.
Douglas,
Like the sequence you outline in the development of instructional professionalism. These are the steps that an instructor should follow if he or she wants to be the learning leader for the students for which that individual is charged to help educate as the move toward their career goals.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Instructional Professionalism is often tied to a framework of rubrics, but I find it all encompassing. I see it as beginning with an extreme interest in your subject matter and a passion for sharing that. This then leads to having an interest in your students and your ability to convey that information in an interesting and positive manner. This then leads to a level of confidence and an attitude and persona that students will respect and attempt to model as they progress. This respect leads to developing a rapport, which is coupled with proper dress and language for the industry. Knowing your subject and following a rubric outline is part of it, but it is a whole package that has fit your style, which is hopefully developing as a Professional Educator.
Roberta,
Good list of how to operate a professional learning environment. You are addressing both the content and the human factor with this approach.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Respecting the student as a person, and that I am not there to impress them but to encourage them. Student should feel to approach the instructor without fear of intimidation of ridicule. That the class stays on task, and that the instructor is able to redirect and continue with classroom instruction.
