My own experience as an adult student always informs my actions with my students. I try to be professional in my communications, but find that I might come off too harsh. In my days as a student, my instructors were so trusting of me, of what I brought to the table, so respectful of me, that I wanted to be like them, make them proud of me, go down the path they had laid out. It was energizing.
Teaching in an online environment, I wonder how to enroll them in my own joy of working with them. I try to always use their name, to express thanks for contacting me, to give them a pat on the back. I get excited every quarter. I wonder if they can tell. I am going to try more audio files this next quarter.
Hi Judy,
I love hearing about this kind of excitement after all your years of teaching. This reinforces the fact that you made the right choice when you entered teaching and your dedication to helping educate has not wavered.
Gary
I feel it is very improtant for an instructor to be enthusiastic about what they teach. Our excitement about what we do carries over to the students and it gets them excited about the profession they have chosen. I love what I do and after 33 years I still love it and want my students to know it.
Hi Scott,
Great philosophy on how to enter the classroom each day. You have to be up for the day even when you don't feel like it. Your points are good ones in relation to how the students are going to react to your attitude. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Simple answer? They will not be interested. Students always seem to know when the faculty member is not interested in the course materials.
Simply put, attitude reflects leadership. In other words the student will give back exactly what the instructor brings into the classroom. If I bring enthusiasm and a positive attitude I will receive it back from them. If I come in with a black cloud of negativity hanging over me they will give it right back. I have often said "I can't afford to have a bad day"...although I am human so of course I do from time to time. However, it's rare and making sure that it is not habitual enhances my students' learning experience which generally leads to higher grades and a greater sense of satisfaction with the education they are receiving.
If the instructor is not interested in the topic they are teaching then how can the students be expected to be interested.
Joe... your post made me think of my favorite Sociology professor. I will never forget watching him stand on his desk and talk about Sociological perspective... and this was long before that movie the Dead Poets Society...
That is a great point David... if the instructor is excited about their course then the changes of students even coming to class increase greatly. I am sure we can all think of examples on our own campus of faculty members who fill their courses each and every week... those individuals whose classes fill within minutes each time course registration starts...
Instructor enthusiasm is simply one of the most important elements in the instructional process. If an instructor is open and positive in their approach to the course the energy they create can tricle down to the students. The students can sense the enthusiasm and energy from their instructor and respond accordingly.
On the other side of this issue... if a faculty member does not demonstrate energy and passion for the course the students will also be bored and un-interested in the course content.
As a faculty member I often have to remind myself to put aside personal issues or the events of the day as i enter the classroom. I need to focus on the content of the course and the needs of my students in the classroom. Often the process of thinking about why my students are in my class gets me back in the right frame of mind to teach and helps me to find my enthusiasm for my material.
Hi Richard,
Well said concerning the teaching of courses that may not be the most well received by students but are critical to their career development. We need to work hard in preparing for these types of courses so the students can see the value of the content and how they are making progress toward their career goals.
Gary
I teach several different classes. Several that I want to teach and a couple that I was drafted to teach. Even though I try to bring the same enthusiasm to each class, the difference in how they are received by the students is remarkable. The classes I'm genuinely excited about are much more well received than the ones where I'm trying to be excited. Unfortunately, students see through faked enthusiam and can sense insencerity, regardless of how well masked it is. The solution, it seems to me, is to be honest. Some classes are more exciting than others, for teachers and for students. But we're in this together, there are expectations, and we'll meet those and have fun doing it. While this particular class might not be everyone's cup of tea, I'm happy to be here regardless. I don't think there can be a better solution than that.
Students will be more likely to come to class because they will want to know what the instructor has to say, do, or demonstrate. It is like watching a favorite tv show with a cliffhanger at the end of each class. Enthusiasm can be a powerful tool.
you need to be very enthusastic about what you are teaching it gives you creditability in what you teach
The more excited the instructor feels about the topic, the more the students will feel for it. If the topic bores the instructor, that will come across to the students as the topic is not worthy of learning.
Hi Dr. Couillard,
Your last sentence says it all. Students stay engaged in the learning process if they are interested and having fun learning, plus it makes our teaching much easier.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
Gary
Hi Joe,
Thanks for sharing these two examples of the impact teachers can have on our lives. You are fortunate to have had two great teachers in your background so you can draw upon what they did in their classes as examples of what you want to do as a teacher.
Gary
We probably all have been in a class with a boring and rigid instructor. Nobody getting a lot out of those courses. Students do not learn effectivley in those environments. Students learn most when it is interesting and somewhat fun.
Dr.Craig Couillard
Thinking back about my favorite instructors in college, I can say that these were the instructors that truly had a passion for the material and how it related to the real world. I had an incredible Economics professor that would occasionally do a "David Letterman" skit to get his main point across about an Economics topic.
I remember never really enjoying or liking English class in high school until I had a great teacher as a junior. I was awakened to a new subject and could not wait to get to her class each day.
An instructor's enthusiasm can be infectious. When students see an instructor's passion for the subject matter, eventually it starts to rub off on the students.
