As you start preparing for Spring semester, you might find this article by Dr. Arletta Bauman Knight (University of Oklahoma) of interest. She states that there are three dimensions for establishing your credibility with your students.
Competence is the perceived "expertness" of the speaker, i.e., their knowledge of the subject matter. Competence also involves teaching the course in a way that will truly be of value to the student. Descriptive adjectives include: informed, experienced, skilled, qualified.
Trustworthiness refers to whether or not the teacher has the best interest of the student at heart. A teacher who is trustworthy is one who promotes positive teacher/student relationships. For example, students are made to feel welcome as participants in the class, the teacher sincerely cares about the welfare of the students, and the teacher is sensitive to gender and cultural issues in the classroom. Descriptive adjectives include: safe, just, kind, friendly, honest
Dynamism focuses on the teacher's "passion" for teaching and his/her enthusiasm in the classroom. It also involves the presentation skills of the speaker. That is, a dynamic teacher is one who is more likely to be confident, articulate, and animated. He or she is one who "changes the pace" in a single class by using a variety of teaching strategies. Descriptive adjectives include: emphatic, bold, active, energetic.
Professor Knight goes on to make a number of excellent suggestions as to how to affect your students' perceptions of your teaching.
Comments