Get Your Students Hired
Do not tell your students that it is your first time "ever" to teach or to teach a particular class!!! If you have a well-prepared lesson plan, there is no need to reveal this to your students. By revealing this, it could perhaps create a negative impression of you. We want the students to always feel that they are going to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to perform in the real-world.
Melissa,
Good reminder for us as we establish ourselves as the learning leader for a class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree with this statement 100% because I have been through the negative side with students when I first started teaching.
I agree as well student will respect the instuctor more if the instructor is prepared for the class.
Nikki,
Good point about letting the students know about your course experience. Instructors have to find their comfort level with what they are going to tell their students about themselves and the course.
Gary
I agree that preparation is key; however I disagree that you should never tell students it's your first time teaching the class. I think it is okay to sometimes let students know you haven't taught a class before. Learning is a journey that instructors should take with their studnets. I feel that studnets will actually respect you more for being honest; especially once they see how effecient you are with the course material and that you are always well prepared.
I think it depends of the level of condifent that emanates from the instructor.
in our school we change the content fo the classes on a fairly regular basis.It can be a joint exploration if we tell them updfront that it is a new version of the class, as long as they know that the instructor has taught it before in a slightly different format.
if it is a brand new instructor, I wouldn't be upfront with the students, they will have a tendancy to push too hard to find a breaking point on rules and competencies of the instructor.
Hi Melinda,
Student respect is a part of successful teaching. Without it there will be challenges throughout the course phase. You make a good point about how it needs to be earned from the first day forward.
Gary
Being prepared will provide the students with the material and knowledge they need to be successful. By revealing that you have never taught this couse before, will put doubt into the students mind. Losing the students respect will lead to the loss of confidence the students have in your abilities.
I agree with that. I don't think it is necessary to tell the students it is your first time teaching or teaching a specific class. I also feel it will cost more confidence points with the students if you come into class, first time or not, unprepared to teach. It doesn't matter how well you know the subject or how many times you've taught it. if you are not prepared you will quickly show that to the students and loose any credibility you had with them.
I am strongly agree with you, student will have no respect to you, , they feel more comftoblewhen teacher well prepared for his class, has lesson plan, objective, it is very very importantto make them belive you from the very begining
Hi Sean,
Good point and well said. It is the representation of a professional image and development of student respect that sets the stage for a successful class. Once that is done then the enjoyment of sharing one's field with the students really takes off.
Gary
I believe in order to lead a student down a path they need to be focused on what is expected of them as well as the instructor. With a properly formatted syllabus and set of objectives, the emphasis on how long an instructor has been teaching will be non-consequential.
Hi Jean,
I think the approach you take depends on the confidence level of the instructor and the circumstances in which the course was assigned. Your method uses discovery learning and you have the expertise and knowledge to be able to direct the students through the various discussion aspects of the course. I wish you much success in your teaching efforts whether it is the first time you have taught the course or the 20th.
Gary
I tend to disagree with you- I always have told my students when I am teaching a course for the first time. I tell them this and i tell them that I will be partnering with them in the course and we will be exploring the course together- this does not mean that I do not prepare- to the contrary- i prepare for hours but i don't try to snowball the students into thinking that I am an expert on the subject- they have respected me more for telling them- they know anyway because they hear from other students- so I feel honesty is the best policy. partnering works real well for me- not a buddy- buddy but a learning together with me facilitating the class- like I said- with hours of preparation.
Hi Bobbie,
Excellent advice for new instructors. Preparation and planning is what makes the difference in how an instructor is perceived and received.
Gary
I agree strongly because the students will not respect you as much. They will try to get over on you. When students think that you have been teaching this forever you will have better success in the class.
I agree. If students sense that you are unprepared or unknowledgeable about the subject matter then they will not feel comfortable with you; they may reject your lesson plan and may not trust your judgment.