Last week I wrote about three “facts of life” from Dr. Richard Felder’s website. They stress the importance of teaching style.
Fact of Life 1: What students learn is always less than what we teach.
Fact of Life 2: How much they learn is determined by their:
1. Native ability
2. Background in the course topic
3. Match between their learning style and our teaching style.
Fact of Life 3: We can’t do much about their ability, background, or learning style.
Conclusion: To maximize student learning, all we have to work with is our teaching style.
( http://www.csom.umn.edu/Assets/38667.pdf )
In addition to these “facts of life” I referenced an article about his “ten worst teaching mistakes” (5-10). Felder has since published mistakes (1-4) so I have taken the liberty to combine and list them below. You can read both articles in their entirety at: http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/#WhatsNew
The Ten Worst Teaching Mistakes
- When you ask a question in class, immediately call on volunteers.
9. Call on students cold.
8. Turn Classes into PowerPoint shows.
7. Fail to provide variety in instruction.
6. Have students work in groups with no individual accountability.
5. Fail to establish relevance.
4. Give tests that are too long.
3. Get stuck in a rut.
2. Teach without clear learning objectives.
1. Disrespect students.
Felder’s facts of life and his ten worst teaching mistakes are intended for college instructors, but I think that they can be applied universally to all teachers. The explanation in his articles providing the reasoning behind each choice is very insightful. My favorites are “failing to establish relevance” and “disrespecting students”. Relevance is the core of my teaching philosophy with the idea that students need to know the purpose not only behind the material, but why you are insistent that they learn it. Felder makes a point about disrespecting students that basically states it’s not just what you say…but how you act towards them (nonverbal communication)!
In review, as educators all we can really control is our own teaching style. Our students come in all shapes, sizes, and abilities, from many different backgrounds. As frustrating as this can be at times, it is important to channel our energy towards what we can control instead of complaining about what we can’t. This is a
“fact of life” as a teacher!
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Be sure to check out the “idea of the week” and “website of the week” at www.energizetheclassroom.com .
-Paul Richmond
E.T.C
