A teacher does more than pass out papers, give and grade tests, and ask questions. A teacher forms a bond with her charges, gets to know their strengths and weakness, takes personal responsibility for their failures, but gives them all the credit for their successes
An instructional technologist teaches her students HOW TO LEARN. She invents unique mnemonic devices to make learning FUN. An instructional technologist not only gives and grades tests but also analyses the test results. If she determines that to high a percentage of students missed question number seventeen, for example, she recalls how that information was taught and re-teaches it. She re-tests those concepts. Instructional technologists always go over each test question after the test to insure that all students have the correct answer.
A human performance technologists is very unique; this person brings out the best in everyone that comes near him. He determines what skills are present in each individual and develops to the maximum that skill. He seems to always know the name of each student. He also seems to know some personal information about each student that enables him to forge a relationship that makes the student believe he has to perform in his class.
How do your students see you? What are you? Are you a facilitator? Are you a Teacher? Can you be an Instructional Technologist? Do you even want to achieve the highest level, a human performance technologist?
Here are some clues to watch for.
1) Do your students come back to visit you years later to say they were prepared in later grades because you insisted that learned?
2) Have parents told you in PTA meetings that their child talks (positively) about your class?
3) Has any student ever brought in extra material just because they thought it was pertinent to the lesson?
4) Do your students feel free to laugh in class?
5) Do your students rush to class?
Teaching is not a job. It is not even a career! Teaching is a "CALLING"! It is not for everybody. If you have been "CALLED", then you have an obligation to go even farther. You must become an Instructional Technologist. You must teach students How to Learn. Then you must go one step more. You must become a Human Performance Technologist. You must teach your students How to THINK! You must become an eagle, You must SOAR in your chosen profession.
So here is where I have chosen to end the article. But talk is cheap. What do I really do? Here is where you get more. Here are your action steps!!
1)First you must believe that there is a solution to what you perceive to be a problem Remember the self-fulfilling prophecy...if you think it is hopeless you will.. "make it so." If you know the answer is there you won't stop looking for it.
2)Next, you must design a plan to search for the answer you now believe, no, you now know, is there. You can't do this haphazardly ; you must devise a plan of attack. You must analyze your resources. Locate allies, determine the strength of the enemy. ( The enemy is ignorance, the students will be it's victims if you don't save them. Ignorance kills.) You must identify the enemy and make your students realize that you are NOT the enemy. This identification of the enemy should be a part of your design.
3) Now as a part of the procedural design, you must record all your failed efforts . Record what you are doing today that does not produce the results you want. Now STOP DOING THAT, That does NOT work. DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. Stop repeating mistakes. Never do again what didn't work the first time! Remember, your worst teacher. Avoid with your students the mistakes he made with you.
4) Seek help from others. Use modern technology to help. Ask everyone for help.
5) Record any minor successes along the way. Repeat the success activity. Think back. Remember your best teacher, duplicate her techniques with your students. 6) Don't get discouraged. Know that you can't save everybody, all the time. Consider that one student saved is a great victory in itself. I have had burned out teachers say to me , you can't do everything, you are only one person. I thought for a minute. My reply was as yours should be...
I am only one person is true ..but I am THE ONE.!
I can't do everything...but I CAN DO SOMETHING! I am a Human Performance Technologist
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