Have you been teaching at the college level long enough now that you are considered to be a mature employee? It is not necessarily an indicator of age, rather it is reflective of the time spent in a particular job or career. I am at that stage now in my career because I was born in what was referred to as the Boomers generation. I find it interesting that every generation has a name. The purpose of having a name for each generation is to develop a set of common characteristics for everyone in that group, similar to assigning a person's birth month and day to a zodiac sign - as if a set of signs can accurately predict similar outcomes for entire population groups. However, there are general trends that are applicable and represent changes that occur from one generation to another.
As an example, the Millennial generation is of an age now that they could be enrolled in college and there are some examples from the description of this group that highlight how populations are evolving - especially as related to the use of technology. It seems that millennials are comfortable with the use of technological tools as a general rule and that is different from the Boomers generation. I have worked with mature online faculty who still do not feel comfortable working in a virtual environment. That becomes a potential issue, when mature educators are teaching younger adults who have a different skill set. When an educator reaches this point in their career the question becomes: can they still be relatable? Or is there a point when an instructor seems out of date and out of touch with their students?
These are important questions for educators to consider, and through my own practice I have learned that there is a "secret" to teaching younger students. I plan to stay in this profession as I love the process of helping students and faculty learn - and the "secret" is more of an approach to teaching that any educator can follow, if they want to also remain in their chosen profession.
Becoming a Mature Educator
There are many points at which someone can begin a career as an educator. What I have found with my work in the field of online learning is that many begin teaching as an online adjunct later in their career - often to share their experience, knowledge, and expertise. Many online schools require an online instructor to have significant industry experience as part of the requirements for teaching, sometimes substituting that career experience for actual college level teaching experience. Another trend is to also require a terminal degree, along with industry experience, to teach online courses. For either set of requirements, it usually means that a person who begins teaching those courses tends to someone who is has not just completed college.
The reason why the starting point matters is that someone who starts out later in their career can become an educator who is considered to be mature fairly quickly, which means they will experience an age gap with their students. There is a common belief that "older is wiser" and while that is certainly true for the most part, what matters in higher education is how well that wisdom has been leveraged. For example, I have worked with many online faculty who are very knowledgeable about their particular business industry, yet they lack basic knowledge about adult learning principles. Overall, I believe there are three primary categories of mature educators and the distinction is important as it is related to how effective their classroom instruction will be.
Educator Type #1. The Outdated Educator
This is the educator who may utilize outdated expressions, materials, resources, and/or instructional practices. This mode can almost seem to sneak up on a person and it is understandable why it can occur. Over time, an educator will develop a routine to meeting deadlines and complete tasks, a set of habits, and instructional practices that are a result of trial and error, a product of time and experience, and those methods have been developed and refined until they serve the person well. However, similar to sticking to one clothing style year after year, teaching practices can become outdated.
Students perceive the outdated educator to be someone who is out of touch and this can be frustrating for them, especially when younger students see the world from a different perspective. As someone who works with faculty, I have seen a sense of stubbornness in those who have taught for any length of time and the attitude has been: if it isn't broken, why fix it? This is particularly true for traditional classroom instructors who view their expertise and experience as a form of status. The problem is that this can create a disposition of rigidity as related to change, and without being adaptable or flexible in how an instructional practice is developed - change and improvement rarely occurs.
Educator Type #2. The Educator Who Tries Too Hard
I remember being this educator when I started teaching in a corporate training classroom, and before I knew anything about the principles of adult learning. While I didn't quite know how to connect with students, I knew that I enjoyed being in the classroom. This is also why many educators seem to try too hard. It usually comes from a good intention - wanting to appear current and relevant. However, this approach is strictly focused on appearances or how the instructor looks to students. It may also begin to feel like a contest as this instructor tries to win students over.
I've seen instances when instructors were lenient with grades, bypassed deadlines, and allowed missed classes - all in an attempt to gain the approval of their students. The problem is that the focus is on the style of teaching rather than the substance of what is being taught. It may also be due to not being sure how to relate to students, which results in over-compensating in other areas - as if the instructor has to prove their ability to teach the class. What happens is that it can come across in an awkward manner if the approach does not appear to be authentic to students. In turn, students are not sure how to respond or they may never connect with their instructor.
Educator Type #3. The Natural Educator
A mature educator, someone who naturally excels in this role, is more likely to feel at ease with students and know how to interact, act, and respond to class conditions. Most educators I have worked with, especially online instructors, fall into this category. In contrast, not feeling at ease or comfortable teaching usually results in performance issues and/or a career change. The natural educator feels at ease with their teaching responsibilities, has a strong sense of self, and their effectiveness comes easily. The primary disruption to the natural educator is often related to school policies and procedures, when they are forced to act in a manner that is different than who they naturally are. For example, telling an instructor that they are expected to pass students along - regardless of how poorly they are performing. Overall, being a natural educator means that learning to work with different generations is easier to do.
The Secret to Teaching Younger Adult Students
An educator who can teach younger students effectively is someone who views their role as something more than a job. It is a career responsibility that must be nurtured over time. The "secret" to teaching a younger generation involves retaining current knowledge, utilizing relevant materials, being open to continuous learning to avoid becoming stagnant, leveraging your background and experience during class discussions, and crafting feedback that guides, supports, and encourages students. More importantly, it means never treating students differently because of their age and being respectful of every generation. For example, younger students may lack experience but they can still be highly imaginative and creative. I have worked with many younger students who have fresh ideas and were not yet been conditioned to discount creativity. The last important aspect is being responsive to students and will to listen to them.
How does an educator reach this desired state? It begins with an attitude about teaching. Here are some examples: being the authority or expert versus having knowledge to be leveraged; knowing everything there is to know versus always learning; being rigid versus remaining adaptable; becoming stagnant or continuing to grow; and serving as someone who dispenses knowledge to students versus someone who guides the learning process.
There are other methods than can be implemented to reach this desired state. I recommend that you work to be a role model by maintaining respect, demonstrating empathy, and cultivating strong emotional intelligence. If you are going to continue to teach, use self-reflection and be open to honestly assessing what works well and what does not. I've found it is important to continue to challenge yourself to continue to learn. You could take new classes, learn new online programs, or work with new tools and software programs. You can also connect with other educators to share resources and ideas. More importantly, view the role of an educator as a scholar practitioner by continuing to read, conduct research, and find opportunities to write.
While these strategies are not directly related to the younger generations, it can help you become relatable to students, transform you into a natural educator, and make your work more meaningful. This is how you can better connect with students of any age and develop productive interactions. Students respond well to instructors who are seemingly tuned into their work and are current in their methods and knowledge. Being a mature educator does not mean you have to be outdated; however, it depends upon your disposition towards ongoing growth and how well you leverage your experience.
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