Over the last few weeks, we have taken a deep dive into something that I am very passionate about –Teacher Credibility (in the classroom). Teacher Credibility dates to the 1980s and the work of Dr James McCroskey, an expert in the field of communication studies.Teacher Credibility is actually an umbrella for four key factors including trust, competence, passion/dynamism and immediacy.
Enhancing Teacher Credibility is completely within the power of the teacher. It is not dependent on any school based imitative nor is it linked to a curriculum model or pedagogical approach. It is simply something a teacher can choose of their own volition to develop. This is important, as sometimes the structures of schools don’t create conditions for cred. Sounds like a great way to exert Teacher Agency.
Over the last three posts we have unpacked strategies I have used for cultivating trust and demonstrating competence throughout my career. This week we are going to unpack the third elements, Passion.
So , what do we mean by Passion?
Teacher Passion (or Dynamism) is focused on the passion and enthusiasm teachers bring to the classroom and content combined with their ability to communicate this enthusiasm to their students. This does not necessarily mean that a teacher must always display a high level of energy. Dynamic or teachers are also those who appear to take charge of the situation at hand and come to be expected, by their audience, to take the lead (Haskin, 2000).
So, what can you do to demonstrate passion in your classrooms?
Here are a few ideas and strategies that have guided me throughout the years :
Show it. Given that passion can seem infectious, we as teachers must be (or must appear) to be passionate and energetic about what we teach. This is because when we show our passion through teaching, students get passionate. Obviously sometimes we’re NOT passionate about what we’re teaching (I can tell you teaching quadratic equations is not the most exciting thing ever). But, we must never let messages like this get across to our students. If this happens, our students will pick it up and take it on board which can ultimately impact their perceptions of the subject in the future. Fortunately, though, passion can be taught, and passion can be learned, and sometimes it might begin with a little “fake it til you make it”.
Alternatively, if you aren’t feeling the love for what you are teaching at the moment (which happens) take some time and try to rekindle your passion for teaching and the content you teach by focusing on the aspects that got you excited when you were a student. What is your why? Remember why you wanted to be a teacher and get back to delivering content to students. Yes, even the less exciting stuff.
Delivery is key. How you deliver is of critical importance. Develop strong communicative skills, and avoid monotony in the classroom by using eye contact, gestures, and facial expressions. But avoid the aggressive kind of non verbal strategies- eye rolling or pointing in a student (or colleague’s) face is never good.
Focus on using a powerful style of speaking that employs few verbal or vocal hesitancies, such as "okay" or "you know". This is easier said than done- automatic replies and filler words are hard habits to shake. Vary physical movements such as gestures, facial expressions and eye contact. Vary vocal characteristics, such as rate, pitch, and inflection. Get your timbre right (that’s the tone, as discussed in Julian Treasure’s excellent talk on the topic).
Use different methods of interaction to boost your teaching sessions like stories, dialogues, visual aids, technology- (clipping from the net, pod casts, videos), simulations, and power point presentations. But death by powerpoint is the worst, so practice this one until you get it right. Luckily, Dr Jared Cooney Horvath has put together some great tips on avoiding “powerpoint coma”.
Lessons Learnt
I have to say I wish I had known more about the idea of Teacher Credibility at the beginning of my career. But I struggled, and it certainly would have saved me countless hours of stress and enabled me build better relationships with my students (and ultimately better classrooms) within which they could learn.
Next time, we will focus on tips and trick for enhancing students’ perceptions of teacher Immediacy. For past posts, check out the link below:
Part #1 What the heck is (Teache(ser) Cred?
Part #3 Demonstrate Competence