adult students
in my experience i have often felt intimidated with teaching students older than me. im 30 and some of my students are sometimes 20 years older..anyuone else have this problem??
The students may be older than you, but you need to remember that you have the information that they need to learn. Age should not effect the exchange of knowledge.
I also have this issue, although I have found that most of the adult education students are actually intimidated by my age and accomplishments, rather than react negatively towards them. Usually I try to focus special attention on the adult students, especially in the beginning, as they are usually the minority in classes I have.
Daniel,
Well done because competence is the reason you are the learning leader. If you can portray to the students the importance of your role as the instructor and how you can help them achieve their career goals then you are going to have them respect you for your expertise and caring.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I had this same concern when I was a manager in my 20's and many of the people I was responsible for coaching were much older. Sometimes it was a challenge but I was able to be successful by showing what I knew, how I earned the right to be in the position I was in and how I could still help people with "more life experience" quite a bit.
Glenn,
This is a key point. Expertise establishes respect with students. Once respect is earned then rapport can follow and with that an educational exchange that helps students move forward with their career growth.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have found that if the students know you are knowledgeable in the career field, they will respect you despite the age difference. You might be surprised to learn that some may be even impressed by the fact you have achieved this level of expertise at a young age.
Cynthia,
I think you are right on base in terms of expecting adult behavior and dedication from our career college students. They have elected to enroll, pay tuition and take classes that will help them to enter the career area of their choice. They should have the dedication and self discipline to meet the requirements of the classes. They need to understand that just because they have paid to tuition they are not entitled to an A they must earn their grade. If they have this understanding they are going to be able to use their life experiences in relation to the subject being studied and see the relevance and application of the content. When this is occurring then you have real progress being made toward their career goals.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Designating adult students versus 18-20 year old students gives me pause. We should expect post secondary education students to act like adults, and in most cases these students would say they are adults. I don't think either coddling more, OR dismissing their life experiences as not relevant to school are helpful to the learning of the students, or especially to the class learning as a whole. Could I be off-base on this?
I agree. Most of my students are indeed much younger than I am. I do have quite a few adult students. I find they are usually much more mature and dedicated to doing their work and studying. I have found that pairing them with younger students does help, but you also will have the rare occasion where they just do not mesh well.
Sonya,
All elements needed for learning and teaching success. By blending all of these elements you will be reaching the majority of your students and helping them to see the value of hard work and self discipline.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have found that students are more concerned about what you bring to the table. You have to make a good first impression, be well prepared for the class and assure them that you are qualified to teach the class. I also try to acknowledge the fact that they have a wealth of experience that could be beneficial in the classroom environment.
Dahlia,
This is where there is a need for respect to be developed between the generational learners as there are benefits from both group to that can be derived. Through the use of case studies and group projects respect can and will be developed. Students of all generations need to learn to work together because they will need to be able to when they are out in the workplace.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Hello Elizabeth,
I found your post interesting and refreshing that you are sharing your personal fears. In my experience teaching students older than myself, I have found that showcasing your credentials and life's work in the field that you teach is a huge asset in feeling less intimidated. These older students respect your life's work and usually do not focus on your age. Also, it is important to gain knowledge from your older students. I teach at a local military base and my student's backgrounds are extensive and amazing. I can capitalize on their experiences in our lectures. I ask them to share their personal insights and experiences while I am conducting my lecture.
Susanne
To respond adequately, I must say that many of my students are much younger, but the more seasoned students posing more life experiences and more disciplined than the younger groups by far. Many of the younger feel that the more aged individuals are not fast or sharp enough to complete skills. However, the aged group tends to be the most assertive and hard working overall.
