Qualities of an Effective College Professor
We all know good professors when we see them, and bad professors too. At some point in
time every one experiences good professor whether in a technical college or in the university. While
development of students to prepare them for future career is the vital role of a professor , many
professors still do not create interest in students to develop and progress. The difference between a
good professor and a bad professor is the teaching skills applied and perfected in college classrooms.
I thought back over my good professors and why they were effective. To be effective, good professors
are competent, are motivators and collaborate with students.
First, professors serve as mentors who guide students on a lifelong journey of growth and
learning. To be effective guides on this journey, professors must be competent. They must stay current
not only in their chosen profession, the profession of teaching, but also in the subject matter they teach.
Competent professor can be described as an expert learner, then the students he or she teaches can be
thought of as junior learners. Professionals are people who continue their involvement with the subject
matter after the formal coursework ends. Competent professors encourage active learning, because
active projects beyond lecturing instill a passion in students to continue to be involved beyond the
boundaries of the classroom. Effective professors desire to succeed in every aspects of teaching. Just
as professors recognize students who really try to be good students, Students also recognize professors
who really want to be good professors.
Additionally, good professors are motivators. Good professors try to motivate students by
working within their own incentive system. Professors who know their students likes, dislikes,
problems and personal issues are more likely to be able to “push the right button” and motivate
students to learn. Every student has its own characteristics and unique incentive system. The good
professor stays aware of trends and uses this information to modify motivational techniques. For
example, they are interested in more than just what students know. They are concerned about student
beliefs, values and relationships. More-so, they bring books, films and articles about the subject into
the classroom to help students think beyond the main aspect of the subject. Successful professors also
give their students confidence. They realize that what the students learn is less important than the
learning process itself. Learning instills confidence.
Along with motivation, good professors collaborate and treat students as partners. Students
expect to be treated as adults. When they deal with clerks, bankers or coworkers, they expect a
reciprocal relationship based on upon respect. Why should they expect anything less from a professor?
Professors and students who enter into a partnership both benefit from the participatory environment.
Collaborative teaching environment include the development of “learning contracts,” allow students to
have a stake in the development and outcome of the coursework. An effective college Professors cares.
Any human relationship, whether husband and wife, worker and supervisor, patient and health care
provider or professor and student requires caring social interactions. If these interactions are not
present, the students will try to create them. No matter how competent, creative or collaborative a
professor is, learning seldom occurs unless the professor cares. Part of caring is establishing and
maintaining trust. For instance, effective college professors build trust by allowing students to get to
know them. They share insights about themselves thereby giving students an appreciation for their
knowledge, expertise and experiences....
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