Before the onset of the digital age, teachers served to be the reservoirs of information and gatekeepers of knowledge, responsible for its transfer to the next generation. In modern times, worldwide information rests in our palms. However, the easy access to knowledge has not, in any way, decreased the importance of professors. It is because the role of professors in students’ lives transcends all these superficial purposes, and its roots run much deeper than that.
As a college professor, you will deal with students at the doorstep of their practical lives. Imparting knowledge becomes just a part of your job. You have to prepare them to excel in the tightly knitted world of professionals, where making some space for yourself is a challenging task. If you are not sure how to do this, look at some of these teaching tips.
Inspire Your Students to Keep Struggling:
Being a college professor, you would have full command of your subject, and your certifications and experience would second that. Yet, some students fail to reach even the threshold of passing marks. You teach the same to every student, but the results vastly differ. It usually indicates a lack of motivation.
Foster an attitude in the class that would provoke your students to learn and participate. Your words of wisdom would be more effective with your actions to complement them. Be a figure your students will look up to for inspiration. To accomplish that, consider upgrading your degree and gaining some leadership skills. For example, you can go for a doctorate in education considering your profession. In addition to becoming a role model for your students, the doctorate in education salary packages and growth opportunities are quite appealing. This action will also enforce that learning is not confined to a classroom but is a continuous process in every stage of life. It will propel your students forward to face the challenges of practical life by continuously learning and evolving in their careers.
Develop an Effective Communication With Your Students:
Communication is a two-way process. While you would be speaking for hours in front of a classroom, your job will not be complete if the students fail to give their fair share of discussion in the lecture. In a room full of students of different backgrounds, each will present a different mental caliber. A concept that one student grasps efficiently might be vague to others. But how will you know that? Only a healthy relationship with your students will enable them to come forward with their concerns.
To start, memorize students’ names and address them individually to know if they are following the lecture. Connecting with them personally will bolster their motivation and a desire to fulfill your expectations of them. Moreover, not every student is confident enough to ask questions. After being prompted by your side, they may be able to voice their confusion. Also, specify a means of communication outside the classroom if any student wants to come up personally for any guidance. It all depends upon you to make them comfortable enough to wash away their hesitation and infuse confidence in them.
Show the Practical Side of What You Teach:
At times, students will completely understand the concepts that you teach theoretically. But what good will they be if your students do not know their importance and application in practical life? So, in addition to clarifying the subject matter, let them know how they can implement it in real life. You can guide them a bit and let them explore the possibilities themselves. For example, you have taught your students how a particular biological or chemical concept works. You can now assign them a project to design a hypothetical product that fulfills a specific purpose using those concepts. It will infuse a practical approach and enable your students to tap into their creative side and come up with a novelty.
Bring Innovations to Your Teaching Style:
Having expertise on a subject matter is one thing, and delivering it effectively, is another. Conventional teaching styles, where a professor speaks continuously and fills the board, create an air of boredom in the class. An appealing topic can lose its spark if taught dully. Even if students understand you, the impression will not last long, and they will forget everything after giving an exam or submitting an assignment.
So let go of the conventional teaching style and try to modify it for a change. For example, you may arrange study trips and make your students write a report afterward. You can have active discussions with the students after the lecture and assign them presentations to probe the details of the topic you left untouched. Being an active participant instead of a passive listener will deeply engrave the concepts in your students’ minds instead of cramming them to have a sterling marks report.
Provide a Constructive Feedback:
Most of the time, students cannot reflect critically on how things should proceed and where they are going wrong. They depend upon your feedback and guidance to identify the weak points they should work on and the strengths they can use in their favor. But try to be careful while assessing their progress and providing feedback so your students may not get demoralized. Constructive feedback will help them overcome their weaknesses, while the contrary will develop a feeling of not being good enough in them.
The feedback you provide should be on time for immediate implementation, informative, and understandable for the student. Moreover, being a college professor, you would not be dealing with kids but with grown-up students. So while giving feedback, encourage dialogue and hear their side of the story as well, instead of shoving it away. This mutual understanding will enable your students to challenge their limits and face their fears instead of shying away from them.
Conclusion:
Guiding a group of fresh minds to be escorted for the service of society is not a small task. If you do not consider their individual needs and what the modern world demands, those minds might end up in corrosion. As the teacher, it is in your hands to polish their minds and brighten them up so they can shine their way through in their professional and personal life. With so many horizons for your students to explore and a competitive world waiting to challenge their survival, you will need to fulfil your role more diligently than ever.
Hey welcome to my blog . I am a modern women who love to share any tips on lifestyle, health, travel. Hope you join me in this journey!
Speak Your Mind