Motivating students
I share with my students my experiences and what I did to be successful. I also share the expectations of employers so the student knows what to expect in the field.
I also share personal experiences so they know it's coming from a place of experience not just speculation.
In teaching students I have realized there is a need to not only show successes, but also failures, where applicable and appropriate.
To show students only a success will skew their perceptions. From experience teaching foreign students, showing some failures during development of organizations and mis-steps allows the students to understand, nothing goes smoothly.
When working with students in organizations just starting up, there is a tendancy to expect your organization is good so ours should stand up with no problems. This is not always true, so the ability to discuss success and failure, as an organization and as people, ensure the students understand actions are not smooth and what to expect as an organization grows and establishes itself.
Hi Beatrice,
Thanks for sharing your story with us. I always get inspired when I hear stories such as yours. Also, this really helps your students to see you as a real person that has had life challenges that have helped to shape you into the successful person that you are. Keep up the motivation.
Gary
I think that personal stories can be good at times in terms of motivating students. I always start out the quarter/semester with a little story about myself and how it took me 17 years to finish my undergraduate degree. Lots of starts and stops due to "life" but in the end, I got that degree. I end the story by asking them to stand up and give each other a "high five" or something on that order applauding each other for making that step to come back to school. It is a great first day ice breaker.
I do the same. I spent almost 15 years in the field before I started instruction. I try to share my successes as well failures with the students. It helps to increase the students interest and will hopefully make it easier for them to succeed when they leave the school.
Hi Marietta,
This is what "making it real" is all about. By giving them the total picture they can start to see how their personalities really do impact their career choices.
Gary
I also like to share my experiences to help my students understand what it takes to make it in the film industry. I encourage them to match their personalities to the genre of makeup artistry that they want to specialize in. For example, if they have an eye for detail along with patience they might be good in film, but if they get bored quickly and have the attention span of a two-year-old, film might not be the best category for them.
Great points. A lot of them have a romaticized idea about the food industry. They think that having your own cooking show is the norm these days. I completely agree with you! They need a dose of reality in order to be prepared for the real world!
