Hi Gary:
Yeah...stories about success. That's a vision that ought to inspire just about anyone! And bringing it down to reality (with less than wonderful stories) should help keep a good balanced perspective. Thanks for adding to the discussion!
Regards, Barry
All students are different and they all have their own sets of needs and problems. Flexibility and showing concern are key.
Hi Christine:
Caring, approachable, helpful, likable, a great resource, - these ae all ways that I want my students to think about me when they ned help. This will also foster respect, determination, and an opportunity to be an encouragement to students who may be struggling a bit.
Regards, Barry
Personality is everything. People will always feed off of other people's attitude and behavior. It's important to come into every class friendly and enthusiastic about the material.
Hi Alison:
Yes - enthusiasm is very contagious. I think people gravitate towards these environments. It makes classes interesting and enjoyable as well.
Regards, Barry
This is something I see as a major benefit and also as a potential problem. I am a very shy person at heart and so I worry about public speaking anxieties. But on the flip side of the coin, although I am shy I love working with people and helping people and have been teaching for several years now and LOVE it. How can a shy person like me love teaching? Because it is so much fun and so rewarding
That's the part of my personality that I think is a huge benefit: I am upbeat, positive, and love working with and helping people!
Hi Angela:
Teachers come in all sizes, shapes, and colors! We all have our strengths and weaker areas that could be improved upon. It's interesting you say your shy. I've found that although there are the teacher personalities that are way out there and command a lot of attention, there are many more individuals that are excellent teachers and, like you, come alive while they're working (teaching), but tend to be a bit introverted, shy, or private when they're not in front of a class. The key is to assure that we are effective, and there are a hundred and one ways to achieve that goal!
Regards, Barry
I also sat in on classes and observed different teaching styles. Until you are in front of the class and develop a connection with the students only then will your style starts to emerge. After a few different groups of students your comfort level improves and your teaching style will become apparent to you and the class.
Hi Jack:
Yes, we all have a "natural self", the combination of personality background, education, teaching persspective and philosophy that contributes to our overall manner and demeanor. There will be strengths and areas that could be improved upon at the outset that over time can be honed to strengthen the weaker areas.
One potential pitfall is their is a tendancy to revert to "how my teacher did it when I was in school", which could wonderful or awful. It's best to develop the best attributes and work on strengthening those.
Regards, Barry
I admire people who have that performance skill as you do. I have been inspired to become a teacher partly because I have seen my wife doing her teaching with flair and humor.
Though I am not as skilled; I have come to know my own style and am pretty "secure" in who I am. I just try to "do me"-- corny humor, puns and many movie references...
One day several of my students said I ws funny--I sobered and assumed that, although they were not being disrespectful with their comment, I was disrespecting them by bringing humor to a course--criminal law--that is incredibly serious. I must have had a shocked look on my face, and those who had made the comment said "oh no, we like it," and proceeded to relate things they had learned when I was applying humor in the class. And do you know, although a little bit of humor can go way too far too quickly, they were right that day--they had learned, more than I assumed they had.
It also reminded me, as an new instructor, that students only know of me what they see and hear--not what's in my mind.
Hi Linda:
Ifound your post insightful! Humor does have it's place, as long as it's natural, not excessive, and not based on something cruel about a class member, teacher, the college, or the profession.
Regards, Barry
