Being a good instructor isn’t just about having the right lesson plan and teaching methods. It’s also about building trust, rapport, and good communication with your students.
But it’s not just your students who you have to have a good relationship with. Your co-instructors, lead instructors, Campus Managers and others at HQ will be a big part of your day-to-day. They are there to help and getting along well can make instructing a breeze. If you get off on the wrong foot, though, you may find every day to be a struggle. Here are a few tips to help you form a good relationship with your co-instructors and lead instructors.
First Impression
The first time that you meet your co-instructors or lead instructor, remember that first impressions
matter! On the first day at your school, you might be feeling all sorts of emotions; it’s normal to be
feeling excited, a little overwhelmed, or even a bit worried. When you meet your lead instructor and co-instructor, stay positive, be friendly, and, of course, smile! No one wants to be working with someone who seems unenthusiastic.
Communicate: Duties for the Day
Before you go into your first class, have a conversation with your lead instructor to clarify what your roles and responsibilities will be. Even among different instructors in the same school, the role can vary a lot.
Make sure that both of you know up front what is expected of you, and what is expected of the co-instructors. Here are some things to note:
- Who is responsible for classroom discipline?
- Who is in charge of attendance?
- Who is tracking and submitting the students grades?
- Who is completing the end of day notes?
- Who is submitting any documents that need to be uploaded?
Establishing clear responsibilities at the outset can save you the hassle, blame, and frustration of trying to figure things out on the fly.
Communicate: I NEED HELP!
It’s important to clarify what you need from your co-instructor during class. If a student is struggling, if you are having trouble keeping the class in order, or if you need some materials for the lesson but aren’t sure where to find them, you should feel comfortable asking your co-instructor for help.
While you need to be clear and confident in your directions, be careful not to come off as bossy. Start out with things like: “Could you help me out with…” or “I could use your help with…”. If you and your co-instructor do have any problems, miscommunications, or disagreements, address them away from the students and with your lead instructor. You may have a different teaching and discipline style from your co-instructor, but when she is in charge, back them up. Ask them to do the same for you. It can be a big problem in a classroom when two instructors are in disagreement and are frequently undermining and contradicting one another.
Trust
Finally, trust your co-instructor’s advice. Whether you have had teaching experience or not, you
certainly have your own ideas about discipline, classroom management, and lessons. Some of these ideas, however, may not work well in a remote classroom, or for your specific students. What you see as a perfectly reasonable discipline plan may seem harsh and uncompromising to your students and co-instructor. Remember that you are the newcomer to this school, while your co-instructor likely knows the students, curriculum, and classes quite well. Listen to your counterpart’s advice, trust their knowledge of the culture and students, and be willing to compromise and work together.
Take the time and make the effort to build a good relationship with your counterpart. And even if you do have a few disagreements, remember that ultimately, both of you have the best interests of the students at heart. Clear communication, compromise, and friendliness not only help make your time teaching more enjoyable, they also help create an environment where your students can learn. That, ultimately, is the most important goal of any instructor.