Ian,
I agree. I think many people have forgotten how to write a professional email, or never learned to begin with!
Shelly Crider
While I teach English courses where teaching writing is paramount, I have seen my focus on developing professional skills become a more and more important part of the teaching. I have added an assignment where a student has to show mastery of writing a professional email. At first, I thought this was a very basic assignment. I have noticed that many students (particularly of a certain generation) have stated that learning to write a professional email was one of the most valuable things they learned in the course.
Jim,
This is a good idea. You are honing in on a specific topic and that is exactly what students need to see!
Shelly Crider
The first thing I do is to ask the students to assess their own level of professionalism. On a scale of 1 - 10, most give themselves an 8 or so. Then I ask them to rate the population at large. They usually have society weigh in around 4. I then point out that in every class I teach, all students tend to see themselves in a more favorable light than they see others. Once I establish relevance, we then move on to talk about what professionalism is.
Priscilla,
Good job as students like to talk about themselves and goals and how they relate to their upcoming new career.
Shelly Crider
I usually do an assessment of professional skills and non-professional skills on the first day of class. I do the assessment in all the classes that I teach. I am looking for their strengths and weakness, meeting them where they are in their life. ( work history, duties at work and at home- if not working.) We have a lot of discussion,about who they are,we build on their present skills. Example: stay at home mom-House Manager. What are your skills ?
Cynthia,
Any resource you can put in front of a student only helps them grow. I hope the students realize how lucky they are that you do give them resources to utilize.
Shelly Crider
Patrick,
I love the fact that you do this after every mod. This is positive reinforcement!!
Shelly Crider
Shelly,
I work in Career Services at a culinary school. To help develop our student's professional skills Career Service Advisors go into the classrooms once every six weeks to touch base on specific life skills topics. We use visual presentations, provide relevant personal stories regarding growth and blunders and hand out guides for the students to review and keep. The material you have presented will be helpful when setting up my presentations.
Thank you,
Cynthia
We have mock interviews every mod and the students are able to practice effective verbal and non verbal communication
Deborah,
I love the role model! It is easy to just get in your class and grade assignments, but a great instructor will cause students to think.....in discussion or perhaps an email.
Shelly Crider
I like the idea of a Student Success Course. You can't assume that students naturally know how to be professional. If schools do not teach these skills, then how can students develop their skills? I view this as really mentoring them on being well rounded. Instructors must always be excellent role models. That's the best way for students to learn. It is one thing to be competent in whatever profession you are in, but another to be able to stand out as an exceptional professional. If we help students develop outstanding professional skills, that will also help maintain that our specific professions (whatever they may be) continue to be of high quality.
Dario,
I like this!! I feel role play is very good. Even as a seasoned employee in your chosen field, there is always something new that surprises us!
Shelly Crider
Fallon,
There are so many times when students are not allowed to do hands on in some medicial clinics, I am glad they can discuss what does go on in situations where they do not actually have the hands on.
Shelly Crider
debra,
Sometimes it seems easy what is professional dress, but to someone who has not had the money nor the experience it is a great learning opportunity.
Shelly Crider
students are mentored not only on their technical skills and abilities, but also on awareness of their clients needs that they are serving as well with management and peers. Being able to communicate effectively is a 1/4 of the full scale and each part plays a specific role to obtaining success. We role play and develop these skills in every part of our factory elective classes.
We set up different situations that a student may run into while out on their clinical rotation. I ask the students how they should deal with a certain situation and let them relflect on each others opinions and responses.
When teaching Business, Law, and Ethics, I try to teach the students the differencs. There is a difference in the Law and what is Ethic. Being professional means having Ethics today before you leave school. Dress professionally, speak professionally and act professionally at all times, rather you are at work or at play. I always try to set the example.
erin,
The more you set your expectations out there, the more the students will view them as important.
Shelly Crider
I help my students develop their professional skills by starting every term with a run down of what kind of behavior is expected. We progress not only in the technical skills but as a learner as well. They learn to be more articulate and better critical thinkers. Simple things as dress, attitude, and general professional attributes start the training and than I try to develop this further into becoming at the Colleague level. Talk and treat not only yourself as a confident individual but a professional to all others in their chosen profession.
