O Captain, My Captain (Immediacy and Voice)

Every Monday evening, I proctor an exam for the same course at the university. The professor for the exam I proctor is a nice guy, sweet, funny, and very professional. Every Monday, the professor would walk in with his class and inform his students to take their School or Drivers ID with them so I can take roll to confirm attendance. Today, however, the professor walks in with his class and as his students began placing their belongings in small lockers, the professor turns toward his students and said, “Guys, not today. Leave IDs here, please.”

I would say I got to know these students pretty well as they glanced toward me, with confused expressions. Personally, I had no idea what the professor was planning. As a response for them, I just shrugged. I was just as confused as they were about why the instructor insisted on his students leaving their IDs with their belongings. 

Nevertheless, I lead the students into the assigned testing room and handed each of them a scratch sheet of paper. Once everyone is seated, the professor walks into the testing room.

*Keep in mind that the following dialogue has been paraphrased for the purpose of this entry.*

“Now, I know you are all confused on why I asked you all to leave your IDs out this evening,” The professor started to say. “I bet you all are thinking “But this isn’t what we do! Dezz has to check that we are all here and not at home taking the exam!” But I got to know each of you all pretty well this semester. I know names, I recognize faces, and I even know birthdays too.”

We chuckled at his comments.

The professor warmly smiles at us.

“I’m kidding about the birthdays, but seriously, I remember your names and I recognize faces. I wouldn’t be a good teacher if I didn’t, unless I had 400 students because if that were the case I would just say ‘forget it.’ I don’t even know if I have 200 friends in real life.” The professor jokingly stated.

And once again, we laughed at his funny comment.

“Now any questions before we start the exam?” The professor asked the class.

One student raised his hand.

“Yes, (Insert Student Name Here).” He addressed to the student.

As I stood there leaning against the wall, I realized that the instructor was creating immediacy with his students, as well as myself. Witt, Schrodt, and Turman (2015) define immediacy as “a cluster of communication behaviors that enhance closeness to and nonverbal interaction with another” (p. 201) or the reducing of the “perceived physical or psychological distance between communicators” (p. 201).

As the night went on, the students began to finish their exam. Before the students left the testing center, the professor would call them over to where he was sat and asked them how they did on the exam. Most students responded positively with huge grins on their faces, most likely informing the instructor they did well on the exam. As a congrats for passing the exam, the instructor would high-five them and would dismiss them from the center. For those who did not pass, he would simply pat their backs, say something positive about them trying their best, and encouraging them to do well on the next final.  And each student that walked out for the evening would leave with smiles on their faces. 

In this case, the professor voiced in a warm, touching way that he was acquaint with us by stating he was familiar with the names and faces of his students, yet implementing humor in his speech. This would be an example of verbal immediacy. The scholars provide examples of verbal immediacy; one being “object participation (use of names)” (p. 206) can lead to “perceptions of liking and closeness, thus enhancing the teacher-student relationship” (p. 206). In the continuation of building immediacy, the instructor’s use of nonverbal communication to praise or encourage his students had an overall effect to “establish and maintain a communicative connection that enhances” their relationship.

Although a different topic, I believe the professor’s voice had much to do with establishing immediacy with his students, including with myself. As stated earlier, the professor voiced in a warm, touching way that he was acquaint with us by stating his familiarity with names and faces. His voice was not only warm, but inviting, like he was using the warmth of his voice to invite his students to build an ideal teacher/student relationship. Through this ideal relationship the professor is attempting to create through voice, this could answer the “why and how immediacy works” (p. 214).

#letsgetloud

 #letsbefriends

Fassett, D. L. & Warren, J. T. (Eds.) (2010). The sage handbook of communication and instruction (Chapter 11) Los Angeles: Sage.