How much information and back ground do you tell students about yourself. And does it include personal information? Whats the limit?
Hi Liz,
Good question. You have to decide about the personal information, but a guide can be share to personal information that applies to the work setting. Information about different employment, work experiences, and training are always well received by students. You may also want to share a bit of your personal information about your family(if you have one) as it applies to making arrangements for child care, transportation, etc. This information can help students to understand that you face many of the same situations as they do and that you have to make arrangements for all of these factors as well. The point is to show them that not only are you an instructor but are a human as well.
Gary
I try to give enough professional background to establish my competency in the field. I usually mention some personal info, children, dogs, etc. I do not give out home address and phone number unless it is necessary or until I have gotten to know the students. (They can contact me at the school if necessary)
Hi Donald,
What you are doing is creating a professional image of yourself with a little bit of personal information added. By sharing this type of information you are establishing your credentials but also letting the students know you a human being concerned about their success.
These are the steps to creating rapport with your students which will make your instructional efforts easier. The students are being assisted in creating an identify for themselves in relation to your class. This helps them to understand both the personal and professional aspects of what is going to be required in their chosen career field.
Gary
I keep everything around 5 minutes. As time goes on, the student get to know me & I tell them more about my self. I changed carrers @ 33 so people really have a good laugh when they hear about my past. I like to work them into my past becasue it shows the students that they can grw & make changes with their lives at any time. My students are an extension of my knowledge. I welcome them in my life.
I concentrate on my credentials as their instructor first and foremost. As the class progresses, and the situations warrent, personal information may or may not be introduced, but never so as to be "too personal."
I like to show examples to the class of what I have created in the professional workplace to show my knowlege of the industry. I give the class personal info such as wife, kids, dogs, hobbies. I also give them my e-mail and home telephone with restrictions on how early and late to call. In the eleven years that I have been teaching I have had only one student call at an inappropriate time. I feel this gives students the feeling that you do care and want to help them in every possible minute you can.
Hi Jo,
Sometimes students forget that instructors have had a previous life or they wouldn't be instructors. By sharing information about your previous experiences, as well as career trials, you become both a human as well as a authority figure to them. This helps with the development of respect for you by them.
Gary
Hi Timothy,
You must strive to create a balance between personal and professional information you share with your students. In support of your comments about sharing your professional credentials, I would say keep up the good work. Your students need to know that you have been successful in your field and that your are willing to share that knowledge and expertise with them so they can be successful as well. The sharing of personal information should be to the extent that they see you as a ordinary human being that cares about them.
Gary
Hi Shannon,
From your forum comments it appears that you have arrived at a very comfortable balance between your personal and professional life in terms of how much you will share with your students. As evidenced from your experiences your students do not abuse this information. I would attribute it to your professional competence and approach to your students. You are to be commended for setting a most professional stage from which you can operate to develop respect for and with your students.
Gary
I only give professional information about myself, I teach massage and I only give my professional credits and experiences. I feel that I am not their to become a friend ,but to establish professional respect and inspiration for their needs.
Hi Donna,
Thank you for your input on the professional aspects of teaching. What are the steps you go through to establish yourself as a professional that should be respected by your students?
I can appreciate your comment about not being there to “be a friend†to your students but to gain their professional respect. I have found that I do try to be a professional friend to my students and have had great results with this effort. The key is that I am not trying to be nor will I be a “buddy†to them. I will be a professional friend that they can call upon for references, advice, and support when they have successfully completed my class(s). By doing this I am able to call upon them when they are out in the field to come into my classes a guest speakers and as potential employers.
Gary
I believe you need a BALANCE. I want my students to feel comfortable and at ease when they respond to a question or comment. Sometimes, if you seem out-of-their-reach, you will eliminate some students from taking steps toward a better future; out of fear. I find that if they realize I am "Human", they are more likely to come to me with questions and/or concerns.
Hi Melissa,
Great approach to making yourself a part of the learning formula for your students. Yes, we are all humans with our respective strengths and weaknesses, sometimes our students forget this.
By showing our students that we want them to succeed through our help we become foundational to their learning. They know they can call upon us, as well as ask questions without the fear of feeling inadequate.
As the old saying goes “We are all in this together.†We as instructors want our students to succeed and the students want to succeed in order to achieve their career goals.
Gary
I also teach massage. Because it involves touch, it takes extra vigilance for therapists/teachers to maintain professional boundaries. I have never had second thoughts about saying little, but have occasionally wondered if I've revealed too much.
Hi James,
The key to sharing information is having a comfort level for yourself. You can share information that will inspire and challenge your students so they will be motivated to continue in the program. Also, you can share information that will show them what kind of contributor they want to be in their field. Part of this information can be personal, to show you as a human being and part professional to show yourself as a model.
A key point is not to get to the point that your stories are seen as fillers and you become an old timer that can only talk about the past. I call these teachers, “drifters†meaning that they drift from one story to another without any real reason for the story.
Gary
Hello, Gary and All!
I find that the first day of class is a good time to go around the room and have the students share a bit of information (briefly) about themselves. Then, I share a bit of information about myself. This lends a sense of rapport to the classroom. I give a bit of my professional background and some of my personal background (not in great detail). We all feel a bit more human, and ready to tackle the work at hand once the ice has been broken.
Hi Kathleen,
No matter whether you are a beginning post secondary student or a returning career mature student, having an opportunity to share a bit about yourself is important. Your approach is a good one. A bit of professional and personal information allows you establish yourself as a creditable professional that is human. Keep it up.
Gary
As a teacher of language and communication skills I think it would be difficult not to open up and reveal personal information, at least as far as interests and background go, as well as previous work experience. I am the teacher and don't feel I have to be one of them, as in not having to share their interests in, say, music, television, and recreational interests.
I also think it is important to expose some of my core values. This might be different if I were in a scientific or business setting.
Bruce Crissinger
I am in a sort of odd situation because I am younger than about half of my students. I feel as if I need to really impress upon my students what my educational background is and I avoid talking too much about my personal life because of the big age difference.
