I've spent the last few hours drafting and editing a personal reflection on my first year at Konkuk, so please forgive me if my writing is less crisp.
Since I am approaching my 1st year anniversary, my manager asked me to write down some thoughts on the experience. Indeed, it's been one of tremendous professional and personal growth, cliche as that may sound.
Over the last year, I've taught more than 400 students and in that time learned a lot. Probably the most important lesson I've acquired is the value in cultivating an atmosphere where students feel comfortable expressing themselves. By sprinkling personal anecdotes and humor into my interactions with students, and by extension exhibiting an approachable demeanor, I've discovered that students grow not only in their level of comfort, but also in self-confidence. And it is in this type of environment where memorable and meaningful learning can really take place.
When working with numerous students, it's tempting to think in terms of generalities. However, from the beginning of my teaching career, I've endeavored to learn the names of every one of my students and to consider them as individuals, each with unique goals and personality traits. I still have much room for development, but I find that I enjoy teaching and thus want to improve.
Posts
