Get Your Students Hired
Be inteactive with the class. Include yourself with there converations so you can curve the negative towards the positive.
Greeting your students every day with a smile, and an upbeat attitude can go a long way with them. They can be easily intimidated. If they have a problem that you can help them through, do so, or refer them to someone who can help them.
Stan,
This is very true, however body language, voice tones, and a lot of other things will also give a first impression. Students can easily see through anything that may be fake.
I want to impreess on them that I am a serious person that is going to hold them to high standards and make them work hard and that the reward they will receive is education.
Over the course of my three week time with a given group of students, I try to eventually have a minute or two in private with each of them. I feel a "general-address" hello or welome to be too impersonal. Granted, the 1st impression has already passed for the majority but the personal interaction without the backdrop of the rest of the class makes for a more profound (and hopefully) positive connection.
I always try to give them the impression that Iam not a lot different then them-- I went thru the same things that they are going thru now when I went to shcool - so a little positive reinforcement in this area seems to go a long way.
Michael,
This is very true. My first thought in response to your post was that we must be on our game everyday, but the type of first impressions you are talking about is through another person. This makes our first impression (first time we meet a student) even more important, because students already have a preconcived impression.
Warren,
The first impression is very important, and correcting someone for any reason can give the wrong first impression. Great Example.
To set a good first impression with anyone, regardless if they are students or not, i always make eye contact first and smile, sometimes even before saying a simple hello. I find it a much favorable approach to total strangers.
In a school enviroment first impressions are sometimes made prematurely by the student,based on what they hear from other students.An instructor gaines a reputation and students form an opinion before they even meet the instructor.
Kenneth,
Being upbeat and enthusiastic is great, but we need to be careful that we do not let our enthusiasm out-run the information.
I have a similar issue. I meet people at the door as they file every morning. We are supposed to check and make sure that they are observing dress code but this often gives the wrong first impression. I often refrain from saying any thing until after we check in so that they get to hear "Good morning." first.
By being upbeat and enthusiastic. try to make that class feel that you can't wait to get started. Convey to them that their education is as important to you as it should be to them.
Martin,
That is a great example of the "Hello Zone". The "Hello Zone" is simply saying "Hello" or smiling at an individual when you are within ten feet of them. This can also help you read students and find out if there are any issues that can be addressed.
On the first day let them know what your expectations are , make them feel confortable , take away any fears they might have ,especially whren it comes down to test out day .
You can make a better first impression by greeting each student as they enter your class room. A "Good morning and how are you doing today" can let the students know you care about them.
Yes, I think that so much is conveyed through body language. We have hired a convention refugee who has come from Turkey. He is working as an admission advisor for us. This has been an eye-opening experience for us since he is able to explain much about the refugee system and the frustrations experienced here with immigration.
Lucy,
This is a very important point. With the United States being a "melting pot", we simply need to be nice, polite and caring to give a good first impression.