Teaching Adults When You're Younger
While not specifically mentioned, I feel it's important to note the sensitivity required when teaching adults who are, in some cases, signficantly older than you.
I, personally, am 23 and an instructor, while many of my students are in their 30's and older. I find it very important to maintain a balance of equal respect when guiding my students through the course. They need to feel that you are trustworthy despite the fact you are so young, that you are knowledgeable in the field of study, and that your youth is a strength, not a potential weakness.
It is easy for your students to look down on you because of your lack of experience. I find as long as you treat them with the respect and dignity you expect to receive from them in turn, you are much better off.
Ultimately, I feel you want to avoid treating them as inferiors, but as equals, especially if you, yourself, went through the very program. The key word these modules used is "guide." You are a guide to the students, not necessarily an older, wizened dictator of the classroom. You want to share your common experiences.
Robert,
Thank you for this good advice for younger instructors. You hit it square with your statement about respect. Showing and earning respect establishes the basis for rapport development and that builds on learning success.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
While I wasn't as young as you when I began teaching for the school I work at, trust me I do understand what you're saying because before I started teaching I was a SSgt in the US Air Force and I had a multitude of Airmen older than I was and it was tuff getting the respect the rank held. The way I did it was I gave them respect and held myself to a higher standard. From my past experiences I now have a better understanding how to reach my older students.
Hi Tom,
Thank you for the good advice you gave this "young" instructor and how to work with older students. It is dead on. As you say respect is the key to success.
Gary
Hmmm...for a "younger" instructor, I think you are wiser than you give yourself credit for. You definitely understand the role of creating respect between you and the student. That really has nothing to do with age - but it has everything to do with the behaviors you display to your students. Personally I think the respect issue can trump the experience issue. Keep doing what you're doing!!
Hi Marla,
Good comments about how to find balance with diverse students. You hit upon the key and that is organization and respect. If you plan well and respect the students for their input you will do well as an instructor.
Gary
I am a young instructor as well, and have run into this problem with older students and younger students. I think it all falls back on the old saying "Do unto others as you would have them to unto you."
I have found that any new class that I teach there is always that period of the students "feeling me out" to see if I am knowledgeable and respectful. Once they realize that I can guide them, they are more receptive to learning. The older students tend to feel threatened because they have been out of school so long, and the younger students tend to be less mature and aren't as focused because most of them have parents that are supporting them.
Respect is key and it must be given to be received. There will always be those that don't follow this rule, but if you set the example and guide them with respect your teaching experience will be much more pleasant.
Hi Jason,
Good approach. Respect needs to go both ways and you are earning respect from your older students by extending it to them.
Gary
Many times i come across older students and i have gained their respect by showing my professionalism
Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for this instructor development overview. I know it will be valuable for other instructors facing some of the things you did as you began your teaching career. Everything has worked out for you and it is great to hear our enjoying teaching.
Gary
When I first started teaching I was 23. It was very challenging at first to convey your knowledge/authority to those who were older than you. (with out giving them a smart alec response of course). It took them trusting me and my knowledge/ experience. And me "proving" to them I knew what I was talking about.
I've been at our school for almost 8 years, and with the dynamics of the post secondary education requirements changing- I am now right in the middle of the age range of my students. I look very young for my age, and it still takes them trusting me and my knowledge/ experience.
It just takes time- and as you become more of an experienced teacher- it's easier as well.
I agree respect to all learners will not make the instructor feel inferior to his or her class. Sharing the common objectives with your learners will ease any thoughts of an age discrepancy.
I think respect is the key. Career changing students are usually more open to the new information. Students with experience in the subject matter have a harder time accepting new information from a younger, less experienced instructor.
Hi Scot,
This is the sign of a dedicated professional educator. You are earning the respect of your students throughout the course as a result of your ability to share your knowledge and expertise with them in a way they can understand.
Gary
I have a baby face, and strugle with people thinking that I am much younger than I really am. I do my best to make sure that I always show respect to all students older or younger than me. I try my best to let my knowledge of the subject matter speek for me. I do see a change over the time of the class, by the end they know that I really do have a lot of knowledge and information to share I just wish I could start the class this way...
Hi Michael,
Thank you for these good comments. I really like the way you summed up your comments about the difference between a guide and a tour guide. It is easy to be the tour guide when in fact our students need a guide to give them direction. A guide gives support and direction but does not enable the people nor has all the answers about everything that is being discussed.
Gary
I think this raises an interesting point that also goes beyond age. There are many instances where age does into experience because in many of our areas we as instructors do have the experience and the background to cover the material in an authority fashion even if that experience is not exactly the same as the subject matter.
For instance I am teaching a course in Visual Basic and I have not used or worked with visual Basic in more than 15 years but my experience with other languages and with other IDE tools allows me to cover the material effectively.
The other aspect is that we as instructors have to recognize that we are not always the experts in a given class, there are times where our students have vast experience and are looking to add a degree to essentially document their knowledge.
I have been in this situation myself and used it as an opportunity to learn from the student myself however what I recognized is that the instructors role is not simply the conveying of information and knowledge, it is to connect the dots and making things relevant. So while my student had extensive background I was able to relate that experience to the topics at hand for the other students and draw conclusions for the experienced student that he did not initially see himself.
At the end of the day, despite our age or experience we as instructors are helping the students along in their academic journey which is why I like the guide analogy. However we must recognize that role as being a guide and not the tour guide, you know the person with all the answers and full command of the stage and experience.
Michael Williamson.
Hi Wayne,
Good point about how to share examples that will be understood by the different generations of learners. This way everyone can understand and benefit from the content that is being shared.
Gary
I often find myself teaching class from a group that is 18 to 80. In order to reach every one I need to provide examples to both age extreams can grasp. I have discovered that I need to express myself in leacture classes in many ways using all the learning tools to get the most out of the learning experience for the whole class.
Hi Krystal,
Good strategy for coping with concerns about your age. The fact you have extensive experience and are willing to share that experience with your students is evidence that you are the instructor because of your expertise. Keep giving them great examples and they will continue to respond to your leadership.
Gary
