US Staff Other Links U of A Homepage University Teaching Services Teaching Resource Manual by M. Anne Naeth , Ph. You are in the classroom because of your knowledge of the subject, your experience and your wisdom. That does not imply you know it all, only that you know more than your students.
Students expect expertise, but are realistic and perceptive.
If you cannot answer a question, admit it, then find the answer or direct the students to where they might seek it. Set standards, goals and deadlines or implement those established by your department. University instructors are representative of their field, especially of the values, assumptions and intellectual style that characterize that particular micro-society. Inform your students of the norms, standards, procedures, activities and interests of your field. They're my students.