Ala. Admin. Code r. 780-X-16-.06 - The Instructor Role And Challenge
As an instructor, you are faced with a heavy responsibility. You should make every effort to help the students who are qualified and have the desire to obtain licenses and certifications. In doing so you must set exemplary standards of conduct, knowledge, professional competence, and teaching ability. You are viewed by the students as representing the Alabama Real Estate Appraisers Board as well as the college, junior college, vocational-technical, proprietary school or organization for which you teach. As such, you should understand that the Board's educational program is highly dependent upon your conduct as an instructor.
The reason for the Alabama Real Estate Appraisers Board is to protect the public, not to prevent qualified people from entering the business. Through a better educated cadre of real estate appraisal personnel, the public will be better protected from unknowledgable, incompetent real estate appraisal practitioners. Instructors should emphasize that the Board has not predetermined a passing ration. Out goal, rather, is to make certain that everyone who passes has learned the important concepts and facts in the course.
As an instructor, you may wish to analyze your role and image in the classroom. Please keep in mind that your students are adults who want to be treated with courtesy, respect, and consideration. They have been successful in life and business, and in some areas may know more than you, the instructor. Consequently, such students can often contribute to the class their knowledge and experience, if the instructor is aware of their interests and backgrounds.
The important educational concept to keep in mind is that students learn--they are not taught--what they know. Usually the best role of the teacher of adults is that of Director of Learning. Such a role precludes "lecturing down" to students, demoralizing, haranguing, or assuming a dictatorial role. The role of an instructor should be to develop and channel the students' interest in and enthusiasm for the field of real estate appraisal. You can direct the learning process to the most difficult and most important concepts. Your judgment in these matters is crucial and cannot be assumed by any text or instructor's manual.
Student's questions that pertain to the subject matter should be encouraged. Questions that involved personal or business matters should be discouraged or framed in a general way so as to be applicable to all students. Often you, the instructor, can provide motivation and stimulate student's questions by bringing examples to class, citing personal experiences, or demonstrating procedures and concepts in class. Care must always be exercised in the use of any teaching aid or technique, however, that it is relevant to the point or concept at hand.
No instructor's guide will diminish the amount of work and preparation that must be done in order for good teaching to take place. An instructor's guide may indicate some behavioral objectives for each session, the most important and most difficult concepts, and an overview (in outline form) of the subject matter. Instructors should be familiar with the method of presentation, the amount of time to devote to each subject area, the teaching aids you wish to employ, and the techniques for stimulating and enlivening the class.
The best procedure for ensuring that a good teaching job occurs is to prepare a lesson plan for each session. It should be tailored to your personality and teaching style and should contain notes on what you intend to teach, how you intend to teach each section, the time devoted to each session, and the teaching aids you expect to use. By making a lesson plan for each session, you will add confidence and authority to your teaching because your time will be planned in advance. Planning and practice as in any endeavor, are keys to success in teaching.
A word of caution: Class sessions should begin and end on time. Adults have tight schedules and have a right to have the course proceed as scheduled. Furthermore, each class session should extend its full length for the time allocated. The student invariably needs and deserves your help. Dismissing class early results in the student's failing to receive what they paid for and to which they are entitled and required by law.
The close of each session should be punctual and present a challenge to the students. Classes that drag on and on leave the student unstimulated and discouraged. A definite and strong closing should be planned by the instructor. The class should then end, and any further discussion or questions should take place on an individual basis only.
You will find that by knowing the subject matter thoroughly, by cultivating a positive and exciting attitude toward the subject matter and the course, and by careful planning and practice, the teaching of any course will be one of the most stimulating and rewarding activities of your professional career. The future of the appraisal business in Alabama is truly in your hands.
A special thanks to the State of Florida Real Estate Appraisers Board for this section.
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Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975,
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