Striving to become an outstanding teacher
provides enjoyment in the classroom. There are two
aspects that students state help to qualify teachers that they
remember as outstanding. These include (1) the ability to
present material clearly and (2) the quality of
Another aspect of enjoying teaching involves
having your students enjoy learning. Ways to do this
include making students comfortable in the classroom, creating
a welcoming environment, providing students with all the
requirements at the beginning of the class so that there will
be no confusion or arguments about assignments and grading, and
finding ways to motivate your students.
"Developing one's abilities to
captivate a student audience for an hour or more, to stimulate
them intellectually and move them emotionally, to instill in
them a love for one's subject and a desire to learn more
about it, to motivate them to work on their own, to watch them
wrestle with philosophical and methodological dilemmas during
discussion, and to see them mature in their wisdom, is highly
satisfying"; (Lowman, p.226).
"Five risks are typically faced by
college teachers: burning out, getting fired, becoming
crucified on the cross of imagined perfectibility, aspiring to
a fruitless martyrdom, and falling victim to a cynical
pessimism about the possibility of ever making a difference in
the lives of students. If you don't regard your own
survival as at least as important as the development of your
students, then you will sooner or later fall victim to one of
these risks. And if you do burn out, get fired, become
crucified, sacrifice your position fruitlessly, or are consumed
by pessimism about the limits on your influence, then you are
no good to anyone, least of all to your students";
Research has also shown that balancing
personal and professional lives helps to reduce stress.
Try to remember that your family needs you just as much as your
students do and your students need you just as much as your
family does. Balancing the two creates aspects that help
in coping with stress. These include social support,
physical activities, intellectual stimulation, entertainment,
hobbies, and supportive attitudes.
One of the most unpleasant consequences of our
daily lives is stress. Learning to cope with stressors
can help us to enjoy our lives, both personal and professional,
more fully. Research has shown a three step process to
effectively deal with life stressors. These steps include
(1) identify the stressor, (2) apply an action to resolve the
stressor, and (3) take the time to bring back a calm state
before the next challenge arises.
Resources for building enjoyment in teaching:
Mastering the Techniques of Teaching. Joseph Lowman, 1988.
The Skillful Teacher. Stephen Brookfield, 1990.
Successful Beginnings for College Teaching. Angela McGlynn, 2001.
Coping with Faculty Stress. Walter Gmelch, 1993.Renergize