Week 3

Assumption 4- “College students of any age should be treated as adults.”

This statement sparked a thought that laid dormant in my mind, as I very well assumed any student entering college is an adult, no matter the age. I realized for some adult learners, this may be their first college course or program after high school, therefore it can be slightly overwhelming. It is also a similar circumstance for more seasoned students re-entering after a hiatus, and even more cumbersome, as they are now sharing a classroom with young adults. Nonetheless, I find myself doing a lot of hand holding and coddling, no matter the age of learner. Argh! I find myself constantly re-iterating due dates for projects, assignments, and exam schedules. All of which can be found by checking the course schedule online!

I am very open and honest with my cohorts that this program is the gateway to their new career path. I also mention that I’m not just solely an instructor, but also an office manager who is actively involved in the hiring process of new staff. I am consistently sharing my perspective to what employers look for in new candidates. If looking ahead to the future entails reflecting on the past, maybe I should indicate that “adulting” is a highly sought out attribute!

Week 4

Week 4 Blog: Diversity in the Classroom

Cultural diversity in the classroom is a beautiful thing!  

My favorite icebreaker is to have students share their “I” story. Over the last few years, I’ve learned a metric ton about my students, especially when they’re able to share a glimpse into their life + experiences. The truth is, I share a soft spot for the foreign students that have moved to BC for a brighter future. I’ve had dentists from India, Brazil, Philippines, and Africa re-train to become dental receptionists. Let me preface this by saying, it’s not like my other students take a backseat, but it’s the fact these internationally trained dentists are now starting from at the base. Some of these students are older with established practices back home, yet they uprooted their families and careers for a new life. So much is new to them, whether it’s the language, the culture, and/or the educational system. I find these students to be amongst the hardest working and the utmost respectful, especially when considering that they are legitimately qualified and could probably teach the program better than me. They are, in fact, so humble that they don’t address me by my first name. When asked, they respond gracefully with, “It’s disrespect to call one’s teacher by their first name.”

There’s so much to learn in a diverse classroom, on both sides of the instructor and learner spectrum.  As I see it, in the classroom we are all equal; no matter the status, race, or education level.

Week 5

Week 5 Blog: Understanding A Student’s Resistance to Learning.

Coming to grips with a student’s resistance to learning, may be one of the most difficult roadblocks an instructor encounters. After all, didn’t the learner choose to take this course? As an adult learner myself, I unequivocally understand that not all the courses you take you will naturally gravitate towards, but isn’t that what adulting is? Then why is it that we meet the proverbial wall, “resistance?” Upon reading this chapter, I was able to understand and gain insight into how we instructors can navigate through resistance. “Resistance to learning is normal, natural, and inevitable.” (Brookfield, 2015). Something to keep in mind is that some of our best work can be brought to light, if we can overcome resistance and its meandering sense of direction. Also important to note, resistance needs to be addressed immediately, as it can spread to other students in the course.

Week 6

Week 6 Blog: My Professional Goals

Half a decade is a mighty long time, but here are my three visions that I would like to have come to fruition! For starters, finish the PIDP by November, on account of being able to present it to myself on my birthday! I then would like to secure a full-time permanent position, as soon as possible! As of right now, I’m a CS instructor with a temporary fixed-term status. I don’t want to say finally, as there’s always another milestone to reach, but I would like to hold a volunteer position with a dental association to help establish a network for dental receptionists. Currently, there is no regulatory organization for dental receptionists to field questions in reference to work standards and ethics.

Week 7

Week 7 Blog: Helping Students Take Responsibility for Learning

It’s possible the biggest hurdle an instructor faces, is the student’s taking responsibility for their learning. I have often wondered, why we as instructors need to spoon feed our adult learners. In my mind, I have deducted that it is easier to ask the instructor the same question 10 times, than to read the syllabus. This can be chalked up to a lack of accountability, because of a mindset that believes it’s the instructor’s responsibility to teach the students only. In this chapter, Brookfield has listed various approaches on how instructors can revert the responsibility back to the student. My personal favorite, “Creating Tests and Exams,” has been incorporated in my professional practice. Since the traditional pen and paper exams are not everyone’s forte, ask students to actively take initiative by way of designing an exam. The final outcome is ultimately the instructors, whether you’d like use this as an assignment-based project or to incorporate 10-20% of the questions on an upcoming exam.

Week 8

Week 8 Blog: Continuing Professional Development

After I complete the PIDP, I am contemplating the pursuit of the Online Teaching Certificate. Covid-19 has played a major role in this decision. Last semester, a small portion of my program was taken online.  Learning how to teach online, while using an online education platform and keeping students engaged, were all a first for me. Thankfully, I had the assistance of Langara’s Ed-Tech department to put a course together, otherwise I would have been lost. 

As mentioned in my week 6 blog post, I would very much like to hold a volunteer position with a dental organization, where I can represent dental receptionists and office managers. The goal is to help develop training programs for new grads and/or advanced programs for those that wish to further their careers.

Ethical Dilemma

“Doing the right thing is not the problem.

Knowing what the right thing is, that’s the challenge.”

Lyndon B. Johnson

Narrative:

My ethical dilemma started in January ‘21 with a student who I will refer to as, “Jane.” Jane was enrolled in the Dental Reception program at Langara, which concluded in April ‘21. Jane’s “I” story on why she had enrolled in the program, goes as the following: “My parents told me to get a better job, so that I could pay for my new Mercedes and that is why I am here.” Whenever an instructor hears an “I” story like Janes, you can’t help but wonder about the potential whirlwind of emotions/activity. Motivating a student whose sole purpose is extrinsic, was definitely going to be a challenge, but Jane was different. Jane was punctual for class, engaged amongst classmates and myself, and her assignments were always completed & handed in on time. Jane didn’t start the dilemma, I did.

Dilemma:

The dilemma began after I had decided that Jane could re-do 90% of her assignments because the marks were below 50%. When grading Jane’s assignments, I found them to be at a Level 2 mastery, if not below. The assignments lacked depth and detail. I frequently had conversations with Jane regarding her assignments. I tried to pinpoint the instruction Jane was lacking, which in turn, highlighted deficiencies. My fear was, had Jane continued at this rate, she would fail the unit and not be able to proceed to the next course. At no time did Jane ask me to re-do the assignments, that was a decision I made, based on Jane’s character. She was a good kid, who was trying, and I wanted to make this a positive experience for her. I gave her the option of re-doing the assignments, with a late penalty reduction of a 20%. With some one on one, Jane obliged and in doing so, was able to bring her grade up with her subsequent assignment submissions. There were still challenges. Jane’s quiz scores were poor. We had 3 in this particular unit, all of which she scored the minimum of 50%. Exam marks are final, and there are no exceptions. This was explained in the course outline and on the first day of class. It was evident that Jane had a hard time grasping the material, possibly due to the lack of interest in the subject matter. 

Framework:

During the course of the program, my program coordinator consults with me regularly to ensure classes are running smoothly. My program coordinator pointed out that I should not have allowed Jane to re-do her assignments. She added, “It is one and done. This is a college level course and there are no re-dos.” Upon my PC’s instruction, moving forward, Jane or any other student for that matter, will not be permitted to re-do their assignment(s). Only after speaking with my program coordinator, did I fully understand the magnitude of my dilemma. I based my decisions on care and compassion, but I failed to recognize the professional principles at stake.  Although there is no risk to public safety with Jane graduating from this program, she was not held to the same standard as her classmates. Stephen Brookfield’s assumption #4 states, “College students of any age should be treated as adults. Higher education should be preparing young adults for participation in the adult world.” (Brookfield, 2015). At times I forget my place with my students, as I am not their parent, and it’s not my job to protect them from failure. My job as their instructor is to prepare them for the future.

Alternatives:

There’s only ever one alternative to this dilemma and that’s for students to have one opportunity at an assignment, no matter how low the resulting mark. In retrospect, my decision showed that I had little or no confidence in Jane. She may have passed the first unit, as she did the last two, but I didn’t want to run the risk. There are many questions circling in my head. If Jane failed the first unit, what would have been the outcome for the next two units? Had I let her fail without giving her an alternative, how would I feel as instructor? In hindsight, I don’t know which feeling is worse, knowing I let a student down or knowing I tried to help them succeed.

Resolution:

After speaking with my program coordinator, it was concluded that Jane would no longer be given the opportunity to re-do her assignments. I made it clear to the students on day one of the second unit and made sure it was on the course outline. Jane had to be upheld to the same standard as the rest of the students. If she failed the unit, it was on her. I had to accept that as an instructor, a student failing doesn’t necessarily mean it falls on me. Luckily, Jane passed the last two units with a mark of 71% on each unit. She did it on her own and without my help. 

Reflection:

As I reflect back to the situation, I now can see this dilemma as a whole. I was thinking of the moment, consumed by the idea of making this experience positive for Jane. I do have the best intentions for my students, and ultimately, I want them to be successful. Sometimes thinking with your heart and not your head, can lead to turmoil. In this particular situation, I did not realize the end result if Jane graduates from this program. Would Jane be employable as a dental receptionist? In my professional opinion as an office manager who is responsible for hiring new staff, “No.”

Unintentionally, I may have done more harm than benefit. Nonetheless, it is done, and I definitely have learned a great deal from this. I will reflect on this situation for years to come in my professional practice.

Upon discussing this dilemma with my partner, he reminded me that I didn’t gift or embellish Jane’s marks. The marks she received were deserved. I gave her an opportunity which she seized and was able to build confidence and succeed. As an instructor, I couldn’t ask for anything more.

References

Brookfield, S. D. (2015). The Skillful Teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.