When I was working on my dissertation, my mom introduced me to Winnicott's concept of the "Good Enough Mother" (1953). In one article, Naumburg suggests Winnicott observed that children "actually benefit when their mothers fail them in manageable ways." Winnicott, a pediatrician and psychoanalyst, coined this concept to think with mothers about how perfection may not be sustainable and may even cause harm to moms and babies. The alternative, however, is trying to strike a balance between every single need and also helping teeny tiny tots find their autonomy, make their discoveries, and move toward greater independence over time. When I began my journey as an educator in higher ed, I was an adjunct professor in a technical college English department. And because I was an adjunct, I felt I had to prove myself by giving my students the most feedback, the lengthiest explanations of how they earned their grades, and how they could improve for next time. I needed to read everything, and use all the strategies I read about to support adult learners - and it was a steep learning curve because at that time, my academic work had been in English, with no training on how to teach anyone anything. But I thought if I performed exceptionally, maybe I would be invited to work as a full-time instructor. 17 years later... In the time since that first position, I've discovered that doing the most isn't always the best. It didn't always get me ahead and it didn't necessarily benefit students. I had some course evaluations suggest that there was "too much feedback" and "I didn't even know where to go next". And beyond that, I also missed out on weekends with my family, local adventures, exploring the towns I lived in, and making friends. And ignoring those aspect of good living can lead to loneliness and disillusionment. Or at least it did for me. The "Good Enough" Model in this case really appeals. I'm not here to argue the strengths and weaknesses of Winnicott's work or if any woman should have to listen to a man's take on mothering; I don't know enough about who he was, what he believed, the context or the time he worked and learned in to take on that task. But I do know that attempting perfection is a damaging path for instructors and students and the Good Enough Model is an interesting concept when a person is trying to balance their work as an instructor and their life beyond that. To me, the Good Enough Instructor might consider: 1) Course outcomes drive course design. Stick close to course outcomes and that can very nicely limit the scope of design you put into your face to face, online, or hybrid courses. A single course must have parameters; we cannot cover all things. 2) Learn the tech. This is a big one. If you're going into a new instructional setting, find out what softwares and programs are used to house course content (like Canvas and Blackboard); find out which softwares are used to report midterm and final grades (like Self Service and Banner); and figure out how student intervention tools (like Starfish and Wisenet) should be used. In my experience, there is not much useful training being offered to faculty on how to use these tools, but our ability to use them has a huge impact on students and instructors. If you are nervous about using these tools, plan to spend time watching the tutorials and practice. There are tons of video resources on youtube that are short and clear that will 100% walk you through how to do whatever general task you want to learn about and you can rewatch until you get it. Helplessness is not an ideal orientation to bring to technology-dependent fields in the 21st century. Ask your LMS team (learning management system = Canvas, Blackboard, etc) to give you a sandbox (an unpublished course shell that isn't associated with a course) so you can play around with making assignments, tests, quizzes, video content, and the gradebook. I've discovered that it is generally assumed that new and returning faculty will engage in self-study, will ask questions if they are confused, and will track students performance diligently. This is especially important for small schools concerned about retention. The good news is if you increase your level of comfort with these tools, you won't dread having to use them in August and January as you set up your assignments and/or course content for online and face to face classes and you can copy your settings each time you teach the class. 3) Use a combination of assessments. In addition to just being good practice, it may also free up some of your time. Look at your course outcomes closely and consider what types of assignments will best measure students' achievement of your outcomes. Can you use a combination of quizzes, tests, and projects? Are their opportunities for peer review? Do you have all of the major assignments concentrated at the end of the semester or spread out? (hint: avoid having all major assignments due at the end of the semester. Grading large projects until the 11th hour is super stressful for instructors and it also prevents students from thinking about the feedback in the context of the course. This is especially valuable for 100/200 level undergraduate courses). 4) Make friends. Friends are the best. You can pool your resources, solve problems together, create stronger instructional practices, become co-authors and co-presenters and grab lunch together. Basically all the time. I've loved my jobs the most where I had pals who knew what I was going through, but also who could enjoy a meal at a favorite sushi place as much as I did. 5) Listen closely to your students. I've learned a lot from my students over the years. And learning from and with students is possibly the most rewarding part of coming to higher ed. I've tried to be much more intentional about the type of feedback I give; I try to ensure that it is action-driven; and I try to ground it in the objectives. Giving a lot of feedback like "great" "check mark" "question marks" or over-focusing on grammar, are huge time-wasters for you and the student. Think about what you can say in your feedback that will move the student ahead in their journey to course success -- and be open to talking with them about the meaning of your feedback if they are confused. Because beyond that, students will no doubt surprise you and inspire you, if you make space in the chaos of tenure, promotion, service, and/or teaching for them. I've changed my courses mid-semester based on student feedback, student conferencing, and student needs. Students bring the magic to higher ed when we make space to really listen to their goals and ambitions, and we become part of their spheres and that can lead to all kinds of positive transformations, large and small. And I think these things, really, are at the heart of what it means to be a Good Enough Instructor. Good Enough does not mean mediocre or indifferent; it's really the opposite of that. We can focus on a few really important academic things that may give us more time in the other areas of our lives and help us to abandon the self-doubt that makes us say "If I just work for three more hours, I'll..."; "If I just say yes to one more committee, I'll..."; or "If I just teach an overload this semester, I'll..." I know I am a better instructor, probably a better person all around when I turn higher ed off and step back into French press-Saturday mornings, birthday parties, concerts, and weekend get-aways. I hope you'll try it. I'm cheering for you, Lillian Images in the post are borrowed from:
"How we're taught to measure success" from HR Success Talk. "Friends" from Joel Muniz via Unsplash.
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AuthorHi. Lillian (she/her) here. Welcome to Office Hours for faculty. Mostly comprehensive and liberal arts chatter, but R1 and R2s encouraged to enjoy. Collaborations, conversations, questions and camaraderie encouraged. I'm cheering for you. ArchivesCategories
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