The Nurturing College Professor

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The Nurturing College Professor

Nurturing behavior regarding teaching is defined in both negative and positive ways when addressing the effectiveness of the teacher and his or her impact and influence on student learning. Helping a student become a better and more involved learner is an important issue when talking about nurturing teaching because it exists as one of the ultimate goals of this kind of encouraging and supportive teacher.This teacher wants to see his or her students as engaged as possible with the material.ìÖwe would expect students who are really learning to be asking question and exploring connections between their personal lives and the course material in their writings and informal classroom discussionî (Grauerholz 2). Just as the professor is making a concerted effort to become a part of the students education, the student will intern reciprocate by becoming a more active part of his her own learning experience. Productive student learning, therefore, is an asset and valued outcome of any positive and effective teaching method, including nurturing teaching.

To nurture, as an action, is defined in Websterís Dictionary, to ìfeed and protect, support and encourage; bring up, train, or educate.î To nurture a person, therefore, is in essence providing some of the basic functions of what a teacher does. For the most part a nurturing attitude is looked on as a necessary element of teaching children and young adults, K-12, because it provides these students with a safe environment for their ideas to flourish. This definition, however, must be expanded in the context of universities where the nurturing teaching is meant to challenge and stimulate a group of college age adults and not simply foster more simplist...

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