Of course they are important.

Yes, academic values influence your students, so if you do not read the references in parentheses to determine whether they are referencing what the author is saying truthfully, the students would pad these references for "show." When in reality, they bear very little semblance to the author's real views on the topic.

Best regards,

Debra

Personal values constitute a very strong influence on the actions of individuals. Academic values are strongly determined by the personal values of an average teacher and learner. Therefore, the end result of any teaching and learning engagements can be greatly influence by these values which might differ depending on individual as well as the circumstances and environment an individual might find himself.

Thank you for the responses. Any examples of professional experiences would be appreciated. This may be an aspect of learning and teaching engagement (e.g. tutoring or assessment) where personal academic values of learning are exhibited to students.

Yes, Adesina, I value promptness to class and all my students understand that I take class attendance very serious. It constitute part of my C.A.

As a teacher of Public Administration, I give marks when a student cite concrete examples, have a good introduction and conclusion when answering my questions. My students knows that.

Thank you for sharing.

I think it is important. Learning outcome of same students group differs under different teachers because of teacher's personality. It is also visible in the class room also, behavioral pattern of students varies teachers to teachers.

personal values are very important in the process of teaching simply because for example ones personal out look counts a lot when it comes to matters of teaching. how u appear to students will them want to be like you or think your profession is even wealt less. Again, facial expressions count a lot. If you always look angry, you end up scaring students away.

However, academic values to me are not so much important but how best a tutor can translate and transfer what he knows to students for better understanding is what should matter a lot.

At lease for teaching at elementary and secondary, the research is rather clear that the Teacher is the primary or most important element in engaging with the student, even over subject matter, as some students went into a field because of what the Teacher brought to the learning experience. Based upon thirty years teaching at elementary and secondary here is what I would suggest: If a student is not happy being in school or in your class, you have nothing. Often, the student may not be happy because of outside factors. While one may not be able to even determine those outside factors, let alone attempt to address them, making a Student 'happy' is not based on treats or free time. Making a Student 'happy', at the very least while they are with you, is based on projecting an aura that gives the Student a sense of self-worth, of unqualified acceptance, of recognition of the qualities they do bring to your classroom and once they experience a well earned success, they are hooked on learning. One cannot fake being a supportive individual and if one is discontented with one's own situation, then that will be what you project. Sometimes criteria are projections of one's own inadequacies and not based on data. How 'real' are your criteria?

The validity of what I am advancing comes from the literature and not my own opinion: Think back to the Teacher or Teachers that made a difference in your life. How did they make a difference in your life? More importantly, what qualities did they possess that they brought to the mix?

An analysis will usually show that yes they were demanding, but they also aligned ever possible resource to insure the success of the learner, which included instilling in the learner the necessary skills, whatever they may need, but more importantly instilling the attitudes necessary for success. The assumption is not how can we impose road blocks or ever higher hurdles, the assumption was how can we provide success?

Thank you all, for the responses.

The earlier contributions are all spot on. The research literature is replete with information on this subject. A teacher's personal values provide a reasonable vehicle for effective content delivery. In an age where knowledge turnover is so short, a teacher's emphasis on continuous learning and academic integrity for instance, will be a more enduring legacy for student success and later professional life.

Thank you, Samuel Adaboh for your contribution.

I have taught in adult education programs for many years. The most challenging were the students who were only "half there". They were the ones that had to attend class in order to receive state benefits. I was teaching in an economically disadvantaged area in Baltimore. My students were trying to gain certification as medical assistants and billing/coding. While teaching there, I was also attending classes to get my Master's degree. I shared my successes with my students and encouraged them to look at what I was doing (working full time, teaching, going to school and making top grades). I told them that if I could do it, so could they. I recently found letters written to me by a group of students. The consensus was that they appreciated the way I treated them, as people with families and jobs, and not just numbers in my book. They shared their families, their culture and their lives. In my class, we are all equal. I am teaching them something they didn't already know, and they were teaching me how to be a better teacher. I even shared my family with them when I got the call telling me I was a grandmother again!!

Thank you, Melissa for sharing.

I think being a decent teacher requires you to be genuinely interested in the topic. In fact, I think it's best to have a serious research background in the areas you teach. I've had to teach the statistical mechanics origins of entropy (instead of a watered down version typically taught to mean "disorder"), and I've always been able to expand on its importance enough to simultaneously grab the students' attention and keep it simple.

After all, the most important concepts in physics tend to be simple but obfuscated by misunderstandings introduced by previous not-so-interested teachers.

Good luck.