Achieving a quality education is possible if you intend to look at your students as future service providers. This perspective will take you on a path of comprehensive personal growth that will develop the most successful skills and attitudes to achieve your goals in life.
There is a conceptual discussion about who should be considered the client in the educational service. Some consider that the client is society, which receives that trained student (who is the product of the educational process). Others think that the client is the same student, but not for this will seek to satisfy their momentary wishes (which may harm the educational process), but rather their long-term needs, that is, to give them adequate training for their better insertion in society.
My position is inclined to consider the student as a client, and analyzing his needs and expectations, we can generalize that he seeks through education (personally or through his family, depending on his maturity) to achieve training that allows his insertion in society. And this in the broadest sense, whether it is being employed in a company, in a public or non-profit institution, starting your own business, or fulfilling a certain social role (such as being a father / mother, artist, religious, etc..).
Now notice that when we play a role in society, whatever it may be, we become service providers. The service we offer is our work.
No one escapes this function. Life is a service to others. So you as an educator should be a trainer of excellent service providers.
I remember when I was a university teacher, I was a few years older than my students, who were in their last years of career. And because of my lack of experience I was wondering if I would be able to be a good teacher for them.
But I did not remain in doubt of my ability but asked myself what I could offer them to make them what they are looking for: professionals, as they reach their highest ambition: to be excellent professionals, not mediocre, not due to inertia or having achieved a degree, but because they are capable of contributing something valuable to society.
So with this look I tried as a first step to be an example in everything I asked of them. To be an example of word compliance, punctuality, responsibility (of my teaching duties), learning (also learning from them), humility (knowing how to say "I don't know", when I didn't have an answer and acknowledging my mistakes).
On the other hand, I decided to awaken in them this ambition of excellence, which I imagine everyone dreaming about their future have had, but which is often extinguished by the daily life of the study, or by observing neglect or reluctance in other adults. The response was excellent, this impulse aroused a healthy self-demand that greatly favored academic results.
And finally, to generate a personal relationship with them, which still lasts today, and which favored the approach for mutual collaboration, for open communication that also allowed me to know my mistakes and the opportunities to make my classes better and better.
I do not tell you about this experience because I consider myself an example, not at all. I have never studied pedagogy, nor am I an expert in the subject I have given, and in fact I have made many mistakes in doing so, but I think that today students need, more than extraordinary content, a look at their person, to awaken that confidence in they can add value and train them to develop those attitudes and skills that will enable them to do so.
So I propose that you do the following exercise in relation to your educational function:
- Visualize what you are preparing your students for. What do they hope to be in the future. Then relate the content you provide them with that “must be”. What are the contents giving you to achieve your objective? Surely, the contents alone cannot fully form them. What skills will they need to develop? How can you help them build those skills? Contents and skills are not put into action without appropriate attitudes. What attitudes do you think they must have to make their contribution of value? How can you incentivize them? In what way do they see them reflected in you?
And first of all, look at your students as whole people, and love them sincerely. This attitude is what will open the doors to approach your needs and thus give the most appropriate response to each one.
