Gail,
Great. I think when students find their instructor to be approachable, that helps convey trust and respect, and students are more willing to be participate and be engaged in their studies as a result.
Barry Westling
I have found I like to "eavesdrop" at the beginning of class as students enter. They always talk about other teachers and classwork etc. It helps me get a glimpse of how they perceive teachers and how they teach. OUCH!!!!
Katherine,
Good hearing! I feel we can't please everyone all the time. But by being patient and kind, having a good sense of humor, being approachable, fair, organized and prepared, and treating all with respect, at least the students are given a reasonable opportunity to be successful.
Barry Westling
Students are drawn to instructors who are genuine. They want to know that they are being taught by someone who has tasted a level of success they desire. We, also, teach best when we allow the knowledge and experiences we have gleaned to flow through who we are, what we've done,and how we are made. Few things are as painful as watching an instructor present what she/he knows through the lens of someone else's strengths and personality type. It's like watching Billy Crystal try to make an audience laugh by delivering his material like he's Chris Rock. It just doesn't work!
Michael,
Yes, traits like sincerity, humility, and kindness actually empower instructors. When coupled with past work experiences that complement the material being taught helps diminish the theoretical aspect of some material to the real world of work place relevance.
Barry Westling
I began teaching 5 years ago and I was definitely the "Peacekeeper". I have learned a lot about myself and my students over the last 5 years. I find I am constantly making small changes (tweaking)to improve my skills and provide the students with a better learning environment. I am always open to student suggestions concerning ways to improve my delivery or the course content itself.
Eunice,
Continuous improvement such as you describe is great, and to me, requires an appreciation of the benefits, a commitment to follow through, and a diligence to demonstrate the on-going improvements with each class. In doing so, our classes will achieve better outcomes and more desirable results for our students.
Barry Westling
In each of us, there are things we excell at and other things we could improve upon. In the end, students can see if you are "faking" it or being sincere. Sincerity comes across with confidence. It is the confidence in one's self that makes your knowledge believable.
Philip,
There's a quotation I use that goes, "better to be thought a fool than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt". Humility, honesty and sincerity do help empower instructors convey their lesson material.
Barry Westling
It is important to understand yourself as an instructor,first because you are interacting with others. Then you have to consider that these are people who are looking to receieve some information from you, this means that they are listening and watching what you say and do. If you give them the perception that you are unmotivated or unsure of your abilitities they lose their zeal for learning from you. You have to be comfortable with the subject that you are teaching and you have to present it as if you wrote all the books on the subject. If there is something within the context of the subject matter that you don't know, you have to be honest but show that you have confidence and ability to get the answers. You should also follow-up with the answers that are important to the students.
Dorothy,
These are all good traits. Given all the resources available to instructors these days, still the best one is the instructor. Students need to look to their instructor to facilitate and coordinate all of their class requirements with students giving their trust and support to their instructor. I like the sentiment you gave that says "follow-up with the answers that are important to the students". Prioritizing student needs will do much to create a positive learning experience.
Barry Westling
An effective instructor brings their own personality into the classroom so it is important to know yourself. I have taken several personality tests over the years and I am a true "blue" personality - "den-mother", "nurturing" and a "fixer of things". This is important for me to know because in some teaching situations I need to step out of that box to effectively manage the classroom. I have to stretch my comfort level in order to best serve the students that I am teaching.
Susan,
Great, knowing oneself can create the perfect learning situation; leading with our strengths, being comfortable with our duties and responsibilities, and having an awareness of weaker areas that can be worked on for improvement. The most benefecial recipient of course, is the student.
Barry Westling
it is important to know my streangths so i can aply them to my teaching style. i am good person with conversating to new people and use that as a strength when meeting new students.
William,
We all ought to use what we know to be our strengths. I've found one style of strength does not work with all students, so I try to be flexible, open, patient, and supportive when dealing with different student personalities, especially those I'm unfamiliar with.
Barry Westling
If I do not know my strengths and weakness in myself and the subject content then the students will not have confidence in me or the course information.
Ken,
I think students want and appreciate instructors who convey confidence. It's a fact no one can be a master at all topics. But being assured of the ability to teach, get answers and guide students is a tremendously valuable attribute.
Barry Westling
I believe if you do not have an understanding of who you are, what you beleive and what your strong and weak areas are you will not be able to be effective. I like to think about how would I like to recieve the information, and is that something I can bring to the class. I draw on the classes I enjoyed when I was in college and try to use those ideas in my classes.
James,
Right. We are always interested in our effectiveness as instructors. Personalizing is one very effective way to capture attention and make course work meaningful.
Barry Westling
Understanding your personality helps you know how to work with your students better. It answers questions like what am I good at and what can I improve?
Coming into teaching I knew that I was a shy person who struggled meeting new people. I have made it a point every time I start a new term to do an ice breaker with my students and try to remember their names by the end of the first week. I have found that this helps me move past my shyness and my students don't even know that it is a struggle. It also helps my students get to know eachother.
