Career Suicide
Posted by: dateacher on: February 8, 2010
Ever known someone who’s committed career suicide? I’ve known a few, but I’ve never known someone who decided to do it early in his/her career – basically before the career even started.
Every semester a group of students in the Dental Assisting program where I teach go out into the community and “work” an internship at a local dental office. Most of the time the student is not familiar with the office to which they are assigned this internship, but sometimes the student is familiar with the office, i.e. the student is a patient in that office. This internship is a 12-hour per week for 16 weeks assignment. These students are observing, learning, and assisting while in this environment.
There are times when the internship assignment doesn’t work out for various reasons. In the past such reasons included: not following office protocol, excessive personal time taken while “on the job” (meaning the student has decided that text was more important to send or receive than the learning process), and even gum chewing. This career suicide is not one of these reasons.
Students, and dental professionals alike, get frustrated during the learning process. The student expects to just jump right in on day one, and the dental professionals think the students either know more than they actually do or they know nothing.
When conflicts arise, the program generally feels it’s best for the student to try to work it out with the office. But, sometimes this is not possible, so the student talks to the internship supervisor and they try to work things out or the supervisor finds a new office for the student to go to for their experience.
When this new office alternative occurs, one would hope that the conflict would end. However, this semester it did not end there with one such conflict. The student decided to write the dentist a letter expressing her opinion of the dentist’s character – using verbs such as “lacked” and adjectives like “unapproachable.” This letter was written after 12 hours of time in the dentist’s office. 12 hours is not enough time to get to know a person – yes, first impressions are important but to call out the content of someone’s character after 12 hours is completely wrong, especially for a dental assisting student with no experience in the real world. Career suicide.
First Week
Posted by: dateacher on: January 14, 2010
Another first week at school is in the books. It was a good first week, much to be happy about this week. Even though 2 of my 4 classes are filled to the max with students, they are interested in dentistry and inquisitive.
I have a new approach to teaching this semester. I hope it works out well. I’m starting out slow with this approach, giving them a taste of the text book before going full-boar with my new approach. We’re going to explore the wonderful world of all kinds of dental articles – by the end of the semester they are going to know so much about dental materials and infection control, they’re going to be breathing it.
I’m excited about this semester in a way I’ve not been excited previously.
Stay tuned!
Happy New Year!
Posted by: dateacher on: January 1, 2010
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Out with the old, in with the new. We hear this all the time, but in my opinion, this time it means so much more. 2009 was not the best year on record. We saw a lot of destruction throughout the world in 2009. We saw a lot of breakdown in business, economy, relationships. We saw a lot of heartache – I’m sure at some point in 2009 everyone lost someone who was dear to their hearts whether it was a friend, a family member, or a famous person.
Here’s hoping that 2010 brings great things to you and yours throughout the world!
Micromanaging
Posted by: dateacher on: December 7, 2009
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It never ceases to amaze me how some people micromanage everything, and at work they do so to the ‘nth’ degree. Those people who overtly micromanage wonder me even more – are they missing something in their lives that they have to control every little thing everyone else does. If your employees are doing as they should, the work is getting done, and the results are positive, isn’t that enough? I say, I guess not.
The dean – new to the job as of September 2009 – has come in and seemingly upset the apple cart totally. I’m only a lowly adjunct and I feel the pressure. It’s the end of the semester, we’ve wound things down to a near grinding halt and yet….I’m having to tourture my students with busy work to keep them in class for the “required” period of time. Next semester is going to be so different from this semester. The students aren’t going to know what hit them – seriously. There is going to be SO much more time spent in class that they are going to HATE school. I never want a student to hate school. School is a process – learning is a process – but it shouldn’t be a downer. Life is hard enough without having time to enjoy – same can be said for school.
We’ve had a good time…not anymore – Kill-joy.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Posted by: dateacher on: October 24, 2009
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I feel like I may have written a blog post about this, but it bears repeating especially since it’s a big issue for me this calendar year (will explain). Also, it’s been a while since I blogged and I’ve missed sharing my thoughts on teaching and learning.
So – RESPECT – I am not certain when I lost control of things, but I know that I have, and I’m not sure if I can get it back or if I even want to get it back. I teach two sets of students. I teach a total of four courses – two to returning students and two to new students. The program has 2 starts in an academic year…one start in August and another in January. It’s the most recent January start that has me frustrated.
Maybe it’s not as bad as I think it is – maybe more students from this generation are this way – maybe this is acceptable behavior in the 21st century of teaching, but it shouldn’t be.
I’ve been reading: How to Turn Around a Toxic Classroom, and am enlightened by some of the tips. One of the tips was put into place at mid-term by the professor. After having these 8 students since Jan ‘09 and since they only have another 7 weeks in my courses, I’m not entirely sure I really want to get control back. I may just want to get rid of them! And, no, it isn’t fair to lump them all together but that whole guilt by association is working against a couple of them.
I will, however, be implementing these tips for all classes come Jan ‘10. I will be the leader, I will have control, and I will have respect. That respect goes both ways too…to get it, you must give it!
Plugging away
Posted by: dateacher on: October 7, 2009
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So sometimes this blog takes a turn from the obvious – my teaching and the students learning, but it manages to stay on course (no pun intended) even when I venture off topic.
Today I sit at home sick. Sick….sick….sick…..
Teaching has stopped – but hopefully learning continues. They know what they need to do to keep up with the work, I hope they are doing it!
Different Strokes
Posted by: dateacher on: September 2, 2009
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We’ve heard the saying ‘different strokes for different folks.’ This seems to be my way of thinking about the ‘folks.’ In this case, the ‘folks’ are students – they are, of course, all different, but I’m having a hard time so far this semester getting into the groove of my returning students. These ladies have a totally different mindset from me. Maybe it’s the age difference, maybe it’s the difference in life experiences, or maybe it’s the “different strokes.”
My biggest obstacle right now seems to be class meeting time – start time in particular. Once they are in the classroom, they are a somewhat captive audience (Note: somewhat – that’s a whole other blog post). It’s getting them in the class.
I teach at a community college – so these students live either at their parents’ home or in apartments. I believe they are all responsible for themselves no matter where they live. I’m hoping that at age 20-something if they are living at home they are not relying on mom or dad to get them up…but with enrollment up 15% at the college that means parking spots are at a premium…which means you need to get to the school early to get a spot. These students haven’t, it seems, figured this out yet.
Survivor
Posted by: dateacher on: August 28, 2009
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Week 1 is in the books for the 2009-2010 academic year, and I survived! This year is going to be very interesting. I am starting my 3rd semester. I don’t have my safety net this year – who the group I call “my girls.” The first group of students who entered during my first semester of teaching are “my girls,” and they have all graduated from the program. More students will come into the program and more will graduate, but that first group will always hold a special place in my heart.
Every student is different and every group is different. Not that I don’t welcome questions during class – but I don’t welcome conversations between students unrelated to the topic during class. One of the classrooms I teach in this semester is set up so that the students sit very close to each other. 4 tables set up in square formation – 16 chairs, 9 students – close quarters. Should be interesting.
If I survive this semester…next semester well – that’s a whole new ballgame a couple of my classes could possibly have 15+ students in them – and that could be even more interesting!
Stay tuned.
Busy Me
Posted by: dateacher on: August 20, 2009
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So for about the last month my life has been crazy, and it’s only going to get crazier. Monday is the first day of classes for my teaching job (my “real” job). It’s been nice to have about 4 months off, but truly, it’s time to go back to work. I’ve seen enough TV & movies; I’ve read enough bad news. I’ve even planned as much as I possibly can for the start of my second year teaching.
This semester I will be teaching 4 courses for sure, and maybe a fifth course online. I say maybe on this fifth course because enrollment has to be at the right number for the course to stay available. Honestly, I’m torn on this course. I did a lot of planning for this course over the summer, but with 4 other courses I’m not sure how working in an online course is going to jumble my schedule. I’ve taught the other 4 courses the previous two semesters so I know the subject/topics, but the online course has me worried. And, I don’t know how to explain that worry.
On top of this, I got a call from a friend who has a friend who needs help with the computer system in his new office. I konw the system this new dentist has so it’s not that big a deal, but I’m thinking what if this turns into something more than just a few tutorial sessions. I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. It’s not like I have a ton of free time to devote to working a second job in a dental office – I only have Wednesday afternoons and Fridays that I don’t physically have to be at the college.
Wow…busy me.
Certified
Posted by: dateacher on: July 22, 2009
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So on Monday of this week, I finally took my Certified Dental Assistants exam. Preliminary reports are I passed. Final reports are not due for 4 to 6 weeks. My final report is: I never want to take that test again. I will go to the ends of the Earth to get the 12 hours of continuing education credits required annually to maintain the certification.
I say I finally took it because the only reason I was ever going to take it was if it was required for a job. Well, to teach dental assisting it’s required, so I took it. Six years after completing the same program in which I now teach – and I have advice for my students – do not wait that long…take it soon after finishing the program while all the information is as fresh in your brain as possible.
Certification and education – I believe both are essential to a great dental assistant.
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