 Revelations of a Real Estate Educator after four decades of teaching.

 CAVEATS: o MY reflections. Wide range of students in variety of settings. o NOT statistically based. Supported but not measured by research. o Dealing with a SLOW learner here. Progression in spite of myself.

Use as you see fit to reflect on your own journey.

 Do not be afraid to tell “your story” to include the WARTS. Not pity or ego driven, but TRANSPARENCY. Students need to know about your struggles and that you are “human” +/-.

 Maybe I had it all together at one time, but somewhere along the line, I lost at least some of it!  The more I learn, the more I have figured out there is so much more to learn.

 Sometimes flexibility and support are confused. “I believe you can do better than this” is MORE EFFECTIVE than “What is wrong with you?”

 Don’t be afraid to be demanding. Thank goodness for GRACE and MERCY, but life is NOT a “free pass”. Regarding our student’s obstacles, I once thought it was “just” the more mature learners, but now I know differently.

 Reasoning: I have learned that most students want a “big picture” first of the learning journey.  It’s wise to give them some beginning and ending points as well as “yard markers” along the way.

 Too much information too soon (without context) is more likely to cause confusion than understanding.

 Point A to B to C looks good on an outline or syllabus. Learning is frequently “messy”. 2 steps forward and 3 back. Some things take time to “sink in” for some of us. Be patient and consistent.

 “I told them” is not a synonym for helping them learn something. Focus on the “so what” aspects. So what does this mean to you as a ….. FACTS alone does not “cut it”.

 Impact and implications is what the student needs. Not just WHAT but the WHY of the information.

 Every class, like every sale has some commonality, but they are NOT all the same. Be a risk taker and see how something new works.

 TOO MUCH TO COVER is not an excuse. MORE AIN’T BETTER. BETTER IS BETTER. It is about what your students learn, not what you covered that matters most.

 I find teachers are often afraid to ask…How am I doing? After each test, at mid-term, ASK informally. Not just verbal. Seek input so change can occur DURING the class. TOO LATE AFTER the class is over to improve.

 We sometimes don’t look far enough ahead to see the fruits of our efforts. My boomerang students.

I remember about 30 years ago a speaker used the story of putting your hand in a bucket of water and the hole that remained when you pulled your hand out was how long the organization you worked for would miss you when you left. Whether true or not, it made an impression on me. Now days my view is a bit different. It no longer matters so very much to me what people will say about my professional life after I am gone. It would be nice for some select few to have fond memories; certain colleagues, former students, significant supervisors and mentees. But what matters most is what I do while my hand is still in the bucket. Today and tomorrow and how ever many days are left, I need to encourage and support those who come my way during the work day. Being known as a sound advisor, loyal employee, talented professional, whatever the label, is most relevant while the work is still being done. So my challenge to myself and to you, should you choose to join me, is to keep on doing those things that will bring good to others within your important work role(s) to the best of your abilities. The hole left will last no longer when we are gone. But while your hand and my hand are still in the bucket, the bucket and the water will be better for us being there. Johnnie Rosenauer

 Be Honest.  Be Accurate.  But mostly….. Be Brief.

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