Military school?
I agree that we should keep our standards of professionalism top priority, but what happens when instructors get too authoritative. When I hear some instructors disciplining students it sounds like the beginning in that Twisted Sister video...tuck in that shirt, stand up straight, wipe that smile from your face, who are you, where do you come from, are you listening to me?, what do you want to do with your life... How do you get through to those guys that this isn't high school and most of our students will respond when talked to.
I was an instructor in the military for 5 of 8 years, in some cases it works wounders, but you have to read your students to know who it will work with. The generation of our currant years do not like to be told what to do, no matter how you spin things. Even trying as you may to talk to that person 1 on 1, a swift dose of reality and what our field will accept and tolerate brings them back to earth.
the thing about this business it soon sorts the wheat from the chaff..I have sen some incredibly talented makeup artists crash and burn because of their attitude.......
Hi Ted,
You raise an interesting point about getting other instructors to reflect what professional standards should be. A guide is to use what ever is the accepted behavior and dress for the industry. Since career colleges are training individuals to be successful in their careers they need to be able to speak, dress and conduct themselves professionally. A department chairperson is often the person that can help faculty set the standards that are realistic and workable without undue pressure being put upon the students.
Gary
I spent 24 years in the ARMY National Guard and taught many classes. Some of the approaches afore mentioned work fine but the young men and women in my civilian classes did not join the ARMY and there for don't want that type of treatment. Profesionalism is still very important. you must display it in your own dress and actions and always expect it from your students. You will find, as on responce stated earlier, that you must read your class because some do need to be lead by the hand while others perform better if you allow the to self guide themselves through the material. I observed the same types of behavior in my military classes. There are too many different maturity levels to just stick to any one style. Always pay close attention to your classes and give them what they need to be successful and make sure they are challenged in their work.
Hi Jeffrey,
Well said. Teachers need to always be looking for ways of meeting the individual and group needs of their students. This is both a challenge and what makes teaching fun. Good luck with your teaching.
Gary
I have some thought on your topic. If we share with the students that we are preparing them for success in the work place perhaps the rules make more sense. My background in Training has been as an employee of the Equipment Manufacturers. Allen, Bear, and Snap-on. I always seemed to get a buy in from the students when I presented the rules of conduct and dress code, etc. were preparing them to keep a job after obtaining one.
Our dress codes, attendance standards, and schedules closely match the real world working environment by design. For Students who asked the question "Why" I always seemed to get a buy in by presenting school behavior's as mirrowing the parameters or ranges acceptible in the workplace. Once they or (WE) know the "limits-or range" we and they have great freedom within the boundaries. This philosophy has worked for me with thousands of students of mixed backgrounds over the years. I share with them that same "compliance mentality" served me well in the U.S. Navy as an enlisted man when dealing with the pilot's who were of course officers.
Thanks for letting me share my thoughts. Phil
Hi Phillip,
Thank you for those excellent thoughts on getting the course started and why we "preach" relevancy as it related to dress, conduct and skills development.
It sounds like you have a solid foundation for the instructional skills that you are using in the classroom.
Gary
What I find to work when it comes to rules is to ask the student what the rules should be and why should we have them. You will be amazed at how much of the required rules that they will give you. As the leader, you can fill in the rest of the missing required rules by asking open ended questions. When the students are part of the rules determining process, they tend to buy into it and will actually police each other. This doesn't work all of the time, but my experience has been that if the group as a whole buys into what you are trying to accomplish, things go much smoother.
I do believe it is extremely important to have your students model the industry they are training for. When starting a new class, not only let the students know what is expected, but what they will be missing if they do not follow the policies. Motivating the student as to why he wants to be there will make them not want to push the envelope. If they want something bad enough, they will do what it takes to get there.
Hi Danny,
Well said. Discipline is a must for everyone as they develop their expertise and skills in a career area. So many students want the results without the effort (discipline) to get prepared for a career.
Gary
Discipline in the school environment should be expected. Every job on the planet has rules the employees have to live and work by. Rather it is regulations, dress code, manditory safety garb, hair nets, phone etiquette and or a million other "Rules of the road". We should teach and enforce the rules not only for good conduct in the classroom but also as an example of what the students should be expecting in a work environment. If the students think the instructor is strict for expecting them to follow the schools' policies, then wait for the rude awakiening they will get when they get a "boss".
I agree that it is important to maintain professionalism standards and believe that there are positive ways to enforce policies. I have found only in a few cases did I have to resort to being authoritative, and that most people will listen to reason. Like my father always used to tell me, "You can catch more flies using honey than you can using vinegar". It's not what you do to enforce rules, it's how you do it.
I absolutely agree that we need to meet a certain standard of professionalism. But to expect the "cookie cutter" professional just isn't logical. Individualism is what will set them apart (good or bad). The determination of "professionalism" is looked at differently by everyone. I agree the aproach to each student on rules and regulations, should be handled with some respect and understanding. If we expect respect, we need to be respectable...
