Confidence
Hiring New Instructors from the field I have found that most new hires lack the confidence to speak in front of a large group of people. This is one of the hardest things for a new instructor must face, after time usually 6 to 9 months you will see the confidence in this person grow. They learn about themselves and how to present information to a class. Being an instructor will always be a growing and developing position if the person is willing to allow himself or herself to grow.
Hi Rick,
Thanks for your comments. You are correct about faculty growth. If they can get through those tough first few months they will either develop the confidence needed to become a good faculty member or will decide that teaching is not for them.
Gary
Hi Rick,
I agree. I am not a big fan of speaking in front of groups but once you force yourself, you eventually get used to it. I still not like it but I am used to it.
Becky
hi becky,
I agree with you too.As a new instructor I'm not very comfortable speaking in front of the class, but I know the fact that as long as I know what I'm talking about, like every detail of it and the more I'm confident of the topic, the easier it becomes.
If somone had told me ten years ago that I would be up in front of a class teaching someday, I wouldn't have believed them. With every new class, you end up dealing with students with different personality types, new classroom and lab situations, and administrative procedures. The more you are exposed to while teaching, the more confident you will become. The key for me is to have fun while doing it. Your students will pick up on it and have fun also. It can make learning for them much easier.
Hi Jovelyn,
I just wanted to agree with you. When i first started teaching, my first couple of classes were rough. But eventually you realize that the students want to learn, and they are not sitting in the seats looking to criticize you. If you make a misktake in front of class, or a group of people for that matter, they may not even notice it. I think most people's fear of public speaking is a result of worrying to much about what someone may or may not think of them. The key is to be confident while you are speaking. Confidence will make them listen.
Yeah, that's because we are learning to nobody's can tell you how to teach in fron of a class and do it always at the same form because the students have some personal needs, differnt skills, different methods to learn so that's why you can't only have a path to teach you have to discover different ways and that you're only going to get when you're confident, coinfident in what you learn, in what you know and also always we need the help of the students each opinion is very important to take it and change in, so that way we will improve our teaching skills and our confidence
You are so right! When I first started teaching at age 14 It was hard.Now at age 43 it was hard once more!I get the butterflies the first class every three weeks but now it a good feeling! I can only say to others it does get better and more enjoyable! I live to teach everyday now. It is a great life!
Hi James,
Great to hear after all the years with all of the diverse experiences I know you have had. Never a dull moment in teaching that is for sure.
Gary
