Planning and preparation
Planning and preparing are key to a successful start for the instructor as welll as for the student. Students will make a decision if they will follow you or not dependent on how you present yourself..as prepared or not.
I agree with Teresa, and the students will also develop their impression of a "good teacher, bad teacher" based on their perception of the teacher. Preparation is extremely important!
Loving every word from this paragraph: "Try and put yourself in the students’ shoes to experience what they will be experiencing as they walk into your classroom/laboratory for the first time. Will they see the environment as you do or will they see it as a non-student-friendly setting? Granted there are limitations put upon you as an instructor regarding the physical setting, but there are ways that you can make the students feel comfortable if you understand some of the feelings they are experiencing as they enter the class. Seating arrangements, shade placement, and bulletin boards are all items that you can address as you prepare the instructional environment. Though it may seem rather high schoolish for you to worry about such things, human beings never outgrow their need for comfort, security, and acceptance."
When teaching adults, sometimes classroom setting is even more important than when teaching younger audiences. Many of our students are not bringing good memories from their teen years at school. It is our responsibility not only to somehow forget all those negative memories but also to help them to start all over again and the right setting is a powerful element of teaching.
Miriam,
Thank you for these comments relating to how we need to strive to create an environment in our classrooms and labs that reflect how we would like to learn. Yes we are teaching adults but we need to remember that adults are just taller children in many ways and needs, such as reinforcement for a job well done, support from their learning leader and a comfortable place to take in new information and develop skills.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree we as Instructors need to try and help students forget the bad years of high school, and teach them, "it's a new day" I have in the past had students tell me " if there were teachers like me in high school they would have gone to school so to be prepared for these students before they walk in the class room is important to me.
Richard,
The new day idea is critical. As adults they are there for specific reasons, one of which is to create a future for themselves and their families. They need to be forward focused and not dwell on past failures. With mindset they will be ready to move forward and acquire the needed knowledge and skills.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree with you Tina. Students certainly decide
"good teacher" and "bad teacher". What I usually find is that the "bad" teacher is the one that is too strict for the students or the one who is percieved as a push over and was proved wrong.
I agree I work in a field that very much displays your knowledge daily. It is imperitive that you are prepared for class and know the material you are going to present. Most of my students are women (nursing) and judge you from the very first time they meet you.
