professionalism
Teachers are the mold or stencil that the students will look to for there own sense of what is proper or vulger. The way we act, dress, and talk has a heavy influence on the student.
I agree with you that students look for instructors to be positive role models. When we have to make a change in the department, I let the instructors know that their students will take on their attitude and feelings so they must keep that in mind at all times.
Hi Stephanie,
Well said about being a model for your students. We need to always keep this in mind as we approach our instructional planning and the classroom.
Gary
In my experience, most students will mimic exactly what I do and to avoid the doing the double-standard rule "do as I tell you and not what I do", I realize it is very important to keep a professional manner at all times while still being human and caring at the same time. There is a certain manner I must keep where the students will still respect and trust me as an instructor and still have fun learning. Oh course, I respect the students in return.
Hi William,
Well said. The instructor must maintain a manner that shows that he/she is in charge of the educational environment and is there to enhance the learning opportunities for students.
Gary
Students do model instructors' behavior. When I laugh, they laugh. When I am serious they are are serious, and When I engage in conversation they do as well. As much as we, as instructors need to be professional, we must incorporate the human side of things, but on a level where mutal respect is not in question. If we are doing our jobs, students and myself do not need to be told I AM THE INSTRUCTOR.
I teach students at the begining that attitudes are very contagious so what attitude would they like there instructor to display for the time they are in the course . if its a positve one they would have then they have to keep in mind that there attitude is what will dictate the mood of the course and not the instrutor.
What a great topic!
I agree with Jason and the other members in this thread that professionalism is vital. Faculty members are there not only to instruct their students, but also to model the professionalism that will be expected from their students in the workplace. I realize that it is not only the content of what I teach that is important, but also the image that I present in the classroom.
Organization is critical. This means presenting class materials and the syllabus up-front, being clear with students about expectations and grading criteria, spelling out timelines and finally providing students with feedback that is substantial, prompt and easy to understand.
I maintain a highly visible presence in the classroom; I communicate often with students and answer questions in a prompt manner. My prose is free from grammatical and typographical errors. I share knowledge of my discipline, so that I can answer questions quickly and point students to a wide array of resources.
As other members of this thread are saying, it is vital that we model for our students the skills that they need to excel in their own professional lives.
Hi Heather,
What a great compliment to your expertise and leadership. You should and I can tell do feel good about serving as a model to and for your students. This is what being an educator is all about. Think of the impact you are having on their lives.
Keep up the great work! Also,I need your expertise in my office when my computer refuses to follow my commands, mainly because it is smarter than I am.
Gary
My reputation with the students is as the IT person who can always figure out the answer to any computer problem.
Everyone in the school, including my supervisors, come see me if they need computer help, and the IT students see that.
Pretty soon, they start trying to be more like me, b/c they enjoy having others come to them for their expertise. They start studying more on weekends, and designing their own networking projects b/c they know I do the same thing outside of class.
It's nice to see them using me as a role model and getting more out of their education in the process.
we have to set the standard for students so they have a benchmark to follow. although some may fight it most students need someone to follow and actually desire the situation. it teaches them their boundries and helps them become better students and then future employees
Hi Amanda,
Thanks for sharing with us your class approach and how it impacted the students. This really reinforces what we have talked about in terms of teacher attitude influencing the dynamics of the class.
Gary
I agree. Each day this week, I've been coming in with a different attitude, acting different ways to see how students react. They definitely model my behavior. That could be a good thing or scary.
