Right Stuff

The Right Stuff

As one advances in their educational process it

becomes apparent that some of their instructors were a

significant cut above the rest. These few individuals are

inevitably viewed as master craftsmen. But why is it that

some instructor's posses the "right stuff" for being

effective with their students while others do not? When

one analyzes their educational experience, those

instructors that were extremely effective appear to them as

makers of fine wine, turning grapes into a drink which is

pleasurable to the pallet. All instructors' careers starts out

in much the same manner as a trade's apprentice. First, they

must go to school themselves. Then, they must observe experts

in action. And finally, they have to exercise their newly

acquired skills. The instructors that eventually become

effective quickly realize there is much more to the

fermentation process than this. They realize that to be

effective with a student there are additional requirements

that must be adhered to. To make a fine wine they must

learn to delicately blend the right ingredients of

personality, motivation, and above all patients.

The initial ingredient required to becoming an

effective instructor is of personality. The personality of

the instructor affects each and every student they are in

contact with. An effective instructor will develop a

personality that conveys humor into the learning process.

It is only natural that what one finds humorous, one tends

to remember longer. Additionally, if an instructor to be a

cut above the rest, their personality must be of fairness

and equality for each student. Students feel that, if

their instructor really doesn't like them much anyway,

there isn't much use in trying as hard as they would

otherwise. As the apprentices of the instructor trade

begin to integrate a warm, humorous, and friendly

personality into their instructional style, the first

process in fine wine making is achieved.

Secondly, the instructor then adds motivation to their

students' behavior. When an instructor motivates a student

to do well, the student usually tries to succeed beyond

that point. This can most easily be done by the positive

reinforcement of the students' abilities and through

constructive criticism. When an instructor portrays to their

students that they believe in their abilities, the student

unknowingly starts believing that