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Show lessons, Fail 2006 page 15 So how do we face the criticism and keep going? How do we keep striving when we'd rather give up? How do we continue to spend our lives in what we hope are noble pursuits when more often than not the positive results are not immediately seen? I think the first thing that we have to realize is that we're not alone. In the article about the motivation of graduate students, the author points out that one of the most significant things motivating graduate students is the camaraderie of other students and faculty. Although ideally this camaraderie would exist implicitly in departments, T would guess that it must often be sought out. Don't suffer in silence; if you've taught it's guaranteed that you've had similar experiences as instructors. While working on this issue, I happened to overhear a conversation between Stephanie Richardson, the CTLE Director, and another staff member. They were discussing the dreaded course evaluation and how to handle them. Richardson mentioned that she had read that John Lennon, legendary singer and songwriter for The Beatles, never read any reviews in the newspaper, good or bad, when the song came out. He felt that the initial reaction to songs were not always an accurate reflection on them and often hindered his creative ability with his current projects. Richardson continued that she wished sometimes that she was brave enough to not read her student evaluations as soon as they arrived. She was empathetic with the other staff member and provided comfort by forming this common bond. Now, I'm not telling you that you shouldn't read your student evaluations. Richardson went on to tell this staff member that she usually waited until she was ready to handle the criticism before she read her evaluations. I share this story to illustrate the common feelings shared by these two faculty members. It is also comforting to realize even the best instructors, such as Richardson who is well-known for her teaching ability, don't always receive glowing reviews from every student. I find that the greatest barrier to my motivation as an instructor is my personal insecurities and self critiquing. A friend of mine who is the math specialist for Jordan School District, Camille Baker, told me that this was a serious problem for her also. She taught middle-school math for several years. She said after each class, she found herself reviewing everything she said and did wrong or could have done better. She found that it was crippling for her teaching. It became a destructive cycle that limited her ability to improve because she felt so negatively about herself. She convinced herself that she wasn't a good teacher. Her solution was to limit this reflection only to what was actionable - how she could improve the student experience in the future. She said she had to learn how to excuse her own mistakes, particularly those which she had no ability to change. In conclusion, I find the best motivation is the inherent value of teaching. Teaching itself can be so rewarding - seeing understanding on another's face and helping them to succeed. However, I only feel that motivation when focused on the student, not on critiquing myself or them. g|| |
