Model, Mentor and Monitor
Model, mentor and Monitor. Most of this is accountability. We need to hold ourselves, our fellow staff members and our students accountable. In order for a school to be successful or anything else for that matter, all parts must work together to make the whole. If we do not work as a team, it is our students who will suffer. And when we do work together as a team, it is our students who reap the rewards.
Robert,
What are some of the methods you use near the end of the program to make sure each of your potential graduates has been well-prepared?
Having the last class before graduation, I see how everyone has had a part in preparing our students
Since I have been in the vocational education for many years, I know that all schools want to provide quality education/training to the students. The difference is defined by each individual instructor assigned to lead the students to a level of respect, professionalism, responsibility, and accountability that they've never been before. That is when the 3M's - Model, Mentor, and Monitor is a good way to start with the students. They must be told and shown the behavior that is standard in businesses and the work place. We need to model that behavior to them. Then we can explain to them why it is important for them to adopt this behavior if they want to be successful in life. I'm sure we can share some of our own experiences with them when we were at the crossroads of being responsible and accountable on our way becoming the person that we wanted to be. Then we can just watch, check, and correct as they practice this behavior every day in school. By then, hopefully some of them are able to make the transition. The more students who see that we truly care about what they become, the greater the number of students, whose lives we will changed. And if we were successful in reaching 1 or 2 students only, I'll take it anytime and will try even harder next time.
Lou Anne,
You bring up a very good situtation. It the situtations you described, the 3M's and teamwork is very important. There must be a teamwork and accountability through out the system to assist the students learn the correct behaviors. The WIIFM is also something that could help students. Allowing them to understand why it is important to have proper social skills.
You mention a valid point that seems obvious and easy, yet is often difficult to attain: team work and accountability of faculty, staff members and administration. How do we get everyone to work together?
I work with a low socioeconomic student population. A majority of these students haven't had the opportunity to see appropriate behaviors modeled and their mentors and monitoring systems are questionable. In addition to the 3M's they also need to learn basic social skills. Thus, it is important to demonstrate and demand respect and certain behaviors beyond the classroom (punctuality, remaining in the classroom the entire class period), such as wearing their pants at their natural waist, wearing appropriate under garments, taking their hat off when they enter the building, holding the door for each other and using appropriate language among peers.
In order to accomplish these social "life skill" goals, as well as the 3M's, everyone must work together. We must also be aware of cultural statements and customs; our interaction with students can empower or insult without this knowledge.
Cheers,
Lou Anne Derry
I agree with you, Stacey. Teamwork is very important in modeling, mentoring, and monitoring. If fellow staff members all contribute and work together, their strengths combined really supports the students and keeps them focused on a common goal.
the 3M's are more important than the material you teach. The students must respect you - can you WALK the WALK and not just TALK the TALK. By showing you care in them as a person and value the school you represent, the students have a better feeling about the learning environment. It's a matter of perception. You can be the smartest person in the subject you teach, but if your students perceive you as not caring about their education they will not give you the respect, they will be disruptive, and they will not learn.
i've been in acouple of classes as an onlooker and i've seen teacher run some great classes because the students respected the teacher but that teacher did interact with the students and did get them the help they needed.
I also found some instructors who just give the class and tell them to go to work. And in turn the students not only didn't do their asignments, But found them horse playing and being disruptive to other students that were trying to work.
