Highly Effective Instructors
In your opinion, what is the most important quality that sets highly effective instructors apart from others?
I feel the most important quality that sets highly effective instructors apart from others is the ability to relate to their students as human beings. Often times I feel that instructors have an expectation of what they would consider to be the 'ideal' student. If a student does not reach that expectation academically or even sometimes physically or emotionally, the student will be considered not worthy of the instructor's time. It is imperative to look at each student as an individual, and do what is necessary to bring out the best in them. Not all students will get an A. For many a B- or C is their best. When a student who is given the chance to do their personal best, achieves their personal best, that is an ideal student. That makes for a highly effective instructor.
I think it is good to bring up expectations and how they differ from person to person and especially student to instructor. So even though a student does get a C, maybe that is one of their great accomplishments, and if they feel pride in that C, encourage that pride, instead of making a statement, like "only a C".
I believe that the combination of things teachers do to develop and maintain positive relationships with their students (which are those not printed on any syllabus)are the greatest part of what makes a highly effective teacher. This holds true regardless of the age of students.
I totally agree with you Philip. A letter grade just merely seperates the learning curves in the classrooms. I also like to encourage students to utilize what was learned and apply it outside of class.
So what do we think is the soft skill that most students are missing?
Which is the hardest one to teach?
I feel the most important quality of a highly effective instructor is listening!! So many people say they are listening but there is no eye contact, there is no kinesthetics, and the person listening is not attentive (thinking about their personnal life or distractions). Also, sympathy is a dangerous emotion for faculty to embrace; empathy is needed instead. Being able to communicate both inter and intra-personnal is vital to student comprehension. Exhibiting a calm, confident demeaner is also crucial. Showing professionalism in front of the boss while being obserbed by students shows them we are human and also how to take criticism constructively!
Thank you,
Doreen G.
I think communication skills are among the most imoprtant skills for an effective instructor. A good instructor must be able to communicate in a variety of ways with a variety of people. A quality instructor not only has to know the important information that is to be taught but he/she must be able to convey that information to the students.
Doreen,
Thanks for that response. You identified some real good soft skills that can easily be role modeled for students. Great distinction between sympathy and empathy. They get confused so much.
Christopher,
Communication as a soft skill is important. Is there a specific skill when communicating that creates a clearer understanding for people? I particularly like confidence. Not overly confident, but it is clear that you know what you are talking about. Thoughts?
In my opinion a highly effective instructor is one that treats the student as an equal in the conversation and does not try to talk over their capability of thought process. Also an instructor that keeps a positive attitude no matter what the situation show students that they are free to express their thoughts without any negative responses, which in my opinion opens the learning experience for the student and gives them confidence and security. Positive attitude and respect go a long way in my opinion.
Harold,
Do you ever find that some of your students who are shy do not participate as much? Do you ever present opportunities for those shy ones to interact?
I do take notice of the ones that are shy. What I do is if it is a simple question to answer I will direct the question to them and reassure them on their answers. Seems to work real well for me and starts to open them up.
The most important thing to me is that they have a high EQ because they will be dealing with people of diverse background form all over the world.
As a quality that sets an effective instructor apart from others; it would be that they are a great motivator. A lot of qualities go into the making of a great motivator, being a good listener, showing your humanity, showing your wishes for their success and being able to communicate that desire to them so that they believe enough in themselves to think that it is possible to achive. I believe that a positive, can do energy is key to encouraging or pulling them into that vision. It may sound all nice and orderly to say this, but I find I do not always bring that high energy to class each and every day. Anybody else find that as the quarter grinds on, energy levels tend to drop?
As has been mentioned below, I think empathy is what sets an effective instructor apart from an ineffective one. Of course, in order to be truly empathic one must be a great listener. I cannot empathize with you if I do not know you, do not understand your feelings--and I get acquainted with these aspects of you by exactly what you say, not what I might project.
Patience is another quality that goes hand-in-hand with empathy and listening, especially. If I do not allow you the time and space--even a few stumbles or false starts in your verbal expression--I will not get the "whole YOU" picture. In fact, if I respond impatiently, you might very well shutdown altogether. You are forever sizing Me up; you must first and foremeost deem me as trustworthy in order for our rapport to even get off the ground...
I use soft skill techniques to elicit from students which remedial teaching techniques are most helpful.Using this approach my students have helped me become a much more effective teacher.
I've got to agree with Harold,displaying a positive and upbeat attitude about whatever you are doing can become contagious.
Facilitating participation by everyone. There are always some students that seem to "take over" class discussions. It is nice to have input by everyone.
I am not sure if there is one quality that sets apart a highly effective instructor or several. I would have to say that creating a comfortable learning environment is number one which would involve collaboration, a clear direction, openness, and listening. Fairness and integrity is right up there because if the students see that the teacher is hard but fair, they are more willing to work hard. I love to get evaluations from my students when they say that more class is "hard but fair."
Dolores
