Model
Manage
Motivate
This all seems simple, but you really have to work daily at each. In healthcare, as an example, it can be pretty scary to try to motivate students when the subject of the day is fecal incontinence management. Subjects like that require the instructor to dig deep in order to motivate! Modeling behavior becomes paramount in this situation, because the behavior that we project will in turn be what guides the student to want to excel with the subject.
Management! I cannot tell you how many times I had an awesome class because I got there before the first student and was able to catch y breath, get set up for the class, and put forth my best effort. I think to be very honest though, those classes where I ran late, was unprepared, or mentally checked-out were wasted hours and the students had their special ways of letting me know this.
I think as I start in this new area of education, I am going to write down those 3 words and use them to define how I plan to shape my day, not only for the benefit of my students, but also for my own satisfaction as an instructor.
