We Are Constantly Both Teachers and Students

Have you ever stopped in the workplace and evaluated it from the outside in? Think of yourself in a glass bubble, watching your team in action on a daily basis. Most workdays start at 8 a.m. and end by 5 p.m. During that nine-hour span, depending on the size of your organization, hundreds of interactions take place. This process spans the globe from one-on-one meetings to large group presentations.

This engagement constantly involves new information, review of existing information and various degrees of technology used to transmit information. The amount of knowledge transferred from person to person each day is simply amazing. If you stop and think about it, the concept of teaching is front and center.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a definition of a teacher is one that teaches. It obviously relates to one in the teaching profession. That said, I contend that we are all teachers in our own way.

I was recently honored by being selected as a professor of record with Olivet Nazarene University in Chicago. I will be teaching a course next year on community relations. The audience of students will be Salvation Army officers. I have had experience with officers in the field so I can relate theory with practice. I will also have an instructor work with me. Together, we will have an enjoyable experience working with these adult students.

These individuals are adults and come from a variety of life experiences, educational backgrounds and learning styles. I was blessed to have recently received important information and guidance by the faculty and administration of Olivet Nazarene University regarding ways to be a more effective instructor. These guidelines made me think about how adult students think and should be taught in the classroom. The light came on, and I thought I can apply these methods to everyday communication.