Teaching Tip: Consider why you teach
March 31, 2015
At this point in the semester, most of us are bolting for the barn. Summer is nearly
here — we just need to keep up the pace for a few more weeks. But right now, at the
risk of overwhelming everything, it might be worth taking a moment and ask ourselves
why we do it. What is our source of inspiration? What is the real reason we teach?
For many, the reasons why we teach are complicated and multiple, including both self-serving
and altruistic motivations. What is important is that we begin to find the sources
of our own inspiration and feed them.
While contemplating the source of your motivation, identify what is working for you
in your course right now. What is satisfying? Also, be honest with yourself about
what isn’t working. What could be better? Take those points of dissatisfaction and
reflect on how you might do things differently. How can you bring them into alignment
with your own inspiration? Reach out for ideas from friends, colleagues, Internet
resources and UAF eLearning’s instructional design team. Consider some new strategies
guided by your inspiration. Identifying what you’d like to change and planning improvements
is a powerful expression of agency, and there is resiliency in finding fuel for your
own satisfaction. Design for personal sustainability.
Read the full Teaching Tip at iTeachU.uaf.edu
-- Teaching Tip by Owen Guthrie, UAF eLearning instructional designer