BETWEEN THE TEACHER AND THE STUDENT
Being a good leader or teacher requires many qualities. A good leader has to be part drill instructor, therapist, comedian and parental figure… among others!
Of course, there is a series of methods that a teacher or leader can use to fulfill all those roles. But even using those methods, it is most important to provide a good balance of authority, influence and, of course, allowing the student to come to his or her own conclusions.
THE VALUE OF INFLUENCE
The strongest method of instruction or teaching is setting an example. If the teacher or leader is always present with clothing straight and neat, it sets a tone of orderliness. If the leader is always seen loudly chewing gum, it might set a casual tone.
Using influence to make corrections doesn’t usually have the satisfaction of immediate effect, but has many other advantages. Information we find for ourselves is often the information we remember the most. However, many times a student does not know where to start looking. That’s where a leader can influence them in the right direction.
Influence can take many forms.
The classic example is a young teacher sitting next to a rambunctious student. The teacher sits nice and straight, and the student does as well – feeding off the teacher.
A step up from that is a more experienced teacher leading a class through some drills. Instead of correcting the students that are making mistakes, the teacher instead comments positively on the students that are doing good things. Like a ripple effect, the other students attempt to copy the first student’s good example. Then the teacher compliments more and more students, until, eventually, everyone is performing at their best level.
Influence can go even deeper. For instance, a class instructor walks into a room where ten students are fooling around – as unsupervised students will do. Instead of shouting commands at them, the teacher sits in the middle of the floor, either stretching or waiting. One by one, the students will join the teacher, who then encourages them to train.
Influence comes in many forms, but the bottom line is that showing a person where the path is has advantages over shoving that person down the path. It keeps the decision making process, and therefore the responsibility, in the student’s hands.