Where am I Professionally?

My Professional Goal

I am in a middle of changing careers from business management to adult instruction in a business program at an local university. For the past five years, I have been working in the field of business management for the private, public, and the not for profit sectors. I feel that I have done all that I can in my professional career. In my research, I find that adult instruction has increased my curiosity and thirst of knowledge in the field of the adult education world. I feel that I have found my passion in life.

In five years, I hope to be an adult instructor at a local university or college in the lower mainland. I like to teach various business topics such as Marketing, Accounting, Human Resources, Leadership, Business Strategy, Project Management, and Business Communications. I feel that with my extensive professional background, I can coach and mentor students especially first and second year business students.

The steps in achieving my goals are the following:

1)    Complete the PIDP at VCC – This can show that I am serious about teaching adults.

2)    Network at Universities and Colleges– During my career search, I find that I have not met important adult educators who can be a great resource.

3)    Update my resume – I need to find opportunities at my current work place to do some instructional sessions on a new software, procedures, or workflow.

4)    Volunteer– I need to look at opportunities to volunteer at local not for profits. I can teach basic business life skills or valuable computer skills.

5)    Keep a positive outlook – I need to keep a positive attitude that I can get an excellent opportunity to teach.

With these actions in mind, I know that I can achieve success as an adult educator in five years.

2 Funny Cartoons

I found two cartoons that are related to Chapter 18 from Brookfield’s Skillful Teacher (2015). Chapter 18  deals with teachers exercising power responsibly.

References

Glasbergen, R. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.glasbergen.co

Pinterest. (n.d.) Explore Technology Cartoons, Education Cartoons, and More! Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/123145371033708415/

 

Chapter 8 – Brookfield’s Skillful Teacher

In Brookfield’s Skillful Teacher, Chapter 8 deals with teaching in a diverse classroom. The students in the classroom are very diverse. Students bring different educational, cultural, and work experiences to the class. Students who speak English as second language can be in the class. This diversity in the classroom needs to be acknowledged by the instructor who needs to figure out how to teach the lesson plan and deliver the lesson plan.

Brookfield indicates that the instructor needs to assess the diversity in the classroom. One suggestion that Brookfield discusses is to perform a learning style assessment as one of the first activities of the classroom. This is a great suggestion as the instructor can modify the course or future lesson plans.

Brookfield also recommends that the instructor asks for a show of hands when the instructor asks a question in the classroom. I like this feedback technique because you can get a quick response fast from the students. This approach can be great for the students who are introverts or hate to speak in the classroom. Getting immediate feedback, I can get students to close their eyes and ask them to raise their hands. I do not want groupthink to happen or one or two students in the front of the class to influence the decision.

Conducting a Critical Incident Questionnaire (CIQ) is another way to asses the diversity of the classroom. The CIQ allows the instructor see the classroom through students’ eyes. The instructor hands out a handout once a week and the end of the week is preferred. This questionnaire gives the instructor immediate feedback and the instructor can address any misunderstandings. The instructor needs to report back the results to the students. Transparency can create trust in the classroom between the teachers and students.

Brookfield mentions the following solutions to address the diversity in the classroom.

1)    Team Teaching

2)    Mixing Student Groups

3)    Mixing Modalities

4)    Visual or Oral Communications

5)    Silent or Filled classrooms

These are great teaching techniques to address the different learning styles in the classroom. I truly respect these five techniques because these techniques mix the delivery of lessons. Changing the format of the lesson delivery can address the diversity of learners in the classroom.

Reference

Brookfield, S. D. (2015). The Skillful Teacher: On Technique, Trust, and Responsiveness in The Classroom. John Wiley & Sons. p 97 – 109.