Get Your Students Hired
I teach critical thinking and psychology courses. In critical thinking, I teach the class the value of listening and being open-minded. They learn to develop an understanding of other people's opinions and to communicate their ideas using research to support them.
In psychology, I teach them the importance of effective communication, self-presentation (including virtual), and managing their emotions (emotional intelligence).
My class is frequently reminded to be mindful of their language and jokes so that they are behaving in a professional manner.
At school, we try to get the students to speak in professional terms. That way, no matter which dental office they go into, the Dentist and other hygienists will understand. It is impornant to be able to communicate to other professionals in the field in a knowledgable manner.
Maria,
We have gotten more informal as a society, but I feel that recently students understand that a job is by no means guaranteed and they need to put their best face forward at all times. It is rare for my students to be rude, but I do encounter plagiarism and poor effort at times. I feel that reporting plagiarism to the college/university helps raise the bar for the student culture overall.
Carinne,
This is a good point. We want our students to see what is acceptable. I hope that instructors do indeed provide a professional role model.
Shelly Crider
LaTanya,
I like this as many students do not know how to research valid resources.
Shelly Crider
LaTanya,
Many students think they have all the soft skills they need, but when we go into the work place, we can certainly see what is missing!
Shelly Crider
Ashley,
This is an interesting concept. A professional rubric....I like it!!! Many students think they know what professionalism is, until they have to perform.
Shelly Crider
Several opportunities for professional skills practice are offered in our clinical site. Students give verbal report at completion of their day to the instructor and to the Charge Nurse. They are role models in the dining room where both staff and patients eat. And they interact with patients in Activity Groups. They also are given current articles to read and present verbal reports to peers and instructor.
LaTanya,
Presentations are an awesome way to enhance communication skills along with the professional skills you are working on.
Shelly Crider
Darryl,
I love that! Having an awareness of clients is the utmost importance in having a great relationship with your client.
Shelly Crider
Maria,
You said a mouthful when you state that practice constantly does make us better. Lord knows my cooking has become 110% better than my first week of marriage!!!
Shelly Crider
Michaelle,
Excellent way to promote professional skills be enhancing what is currently used.
Shelly Crider
Grace,
Students do need role models in the professional world. With all we see are read in the media, we could all use some decent role models!
Shelly Crider
It's best if instructors and managers can provide a good role model for students with regard to professionlism. It's difficult to confront students when they are acting unprofessionally, especially if they are defensive and agitated, but it's our duty to guide them.
Within my classes, I have my students research and present their topics. I grade them not only on content, but more heavily on their soft skills, such as communication, dress, tone, eye contact and delivery. Grammar and speech is very important. When they first start, they are apprehensive, but the more they present, by the end of the term, they are completely confident!!!
Soft skills are very very important for our students. This is what most of our students are seriously missing. They have the clinical skills, but the soft skills are a struggle for them.
We have just begun creating a "Professionalism Rubric" containing an outline of soft skills, respectful/professional behavior and dress, what being an active, attentive listen entails etc. We are hoping to implement this into our next Module start. I am very excited to see that you have been seeing some success with this! How do you ensure that it is actually enforced and used by each teacher. I find that we all have the same issues with students, but yet getting all of the teachers to be on the same page and work together to enforce it is missing. Teaching professionalism and soft skills will never work if its an on-again-off-again type of usage.
In my classes, I enhance their professional skills by having them do papers and presentations. When they do their presentations, I grade them not only on content but more strongly on their professional skills such as communication, using correct grammar, tone, eye contact etc. At first they're apprehensive, but the more they present, the better and stronger they become.
Since we are a Technical school, our 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.
At our school, they started to add a professional course before starting the course proper. This course teaches the new students how to be a professional individual for example: like how to dress up for an interview, making a good resume, learning how to act and respond properly, and also how to respect peers and people around them. I think its a good oppurtunity for students to start to apply professional skills anywhere such as in the classroom and outside. Practice skills constantly make us better.