Sharon Frederick

You've just got to love "Required Courses"! Those courses that are mandated by various accrediting bodies - the classes where students become glassy-eyed five minutes into the lecture. I find teaching these classes to be challenges and know that I have succeeded when students will change their schedules just to sit in my classes. It becomes a win-win situation for both of us - both fulfuilling as an instructor and motivating for the students.

I try to stay focused in my daily routine and often try to put myself in the shoes of my students. So many of them have issues outside of school that affect their education! I feel very fortunate that I have not had to face some of their challenges - health issues, transportation problems, homelessness, etc.

Every orientation it's interesting to see if you can "read" a student's passion for education and going to school. Students who think that orientation is a waste of their time, etc. Sometimes it's no surprise that these same students withdraw from school and also on the other side, when they are begging to re-enter because they made a mistake and release the value of education and what they threw awa.

I'm reminded of my own high school and college educational experiences: in both cases I was unmotivated during my first courses and then became VERY competitive in my classes and trying to achieve all "A's". As a lifelong learner, every time I would enroll for an additional degree my husband would always make a comment about my rabid competitive nature and that I wasn't always a dream to live with during this time. Just imagine - education was turning me into a Jekyll and Hyde - hard to believe!

I find that many students in their courses assume a leadership role and can instinctively focus on those who need mentoring in class. Typically these seem to be the older, more mature students but I have, on occasion, I have observed younger classmates tutor and become interested in the educational outcomes of their classmates.

It is easy to discern which faculty members are great educators. It's almost as if they have achieved "rock star" status! Students spread the word "wait until you have _____ for your next course". Or going to the Registrar to change their scheduled in order to enroll with a particular instructor.

Both students and staff can readily see those instructors who truly want to be in the classroom and in the "business" of education! There is nothing more disheartening than to see bored students listening to an instructor who lectures on the same topics class after class with any professional development on their part. On the other hand, those who are lifelong educators instill knowledge and energy into their presentations.

I find that even if an out-of-state student enrolls in our campus, it doesn't necessary mean that they won't connect with other students or feel homesick and maybe lost. Even students with close family ties to our community experience stress (especially during testing in their classes).

Many students that I work with on a daily basis don't feel that they are tech or computer literate as some of their classmates. But I also find that many students will mentor or tutor their fellow classmates in order to promote a team atmosphere towards classroom success.

I find that students relate to me as an advisor when I treat them as adults. I've heard others use the term "kid" and feel that this is demeaning and disrespectful even if the student is young and just graduated from high school.