Study Tips/Inspirational: Teaching Hints

Teaching Hints

The topics covered in this page are:

Teaching with short reviews
Helping students who do not want to be called on in class
Review Sessions and Office Hours
Encouraging reading of the syllabus
The 70% Rule
Lecturing to the whole class
Keeping the teaching of a course fresh
Receiving input from students
Improving as an instructor

Teaching with short reviews

Starting and ending a class with a short review often helps students.
A short review at the beginning of class can help recall prior material and help the class move into a framework in which they are ready to discuss new content.
A short review session at the end of class can highlight the important topics of the day.
It may help to ask random students questions in a review.
Since anyone can be called on, students often reflect on the lecture material and page through notes.
If a student does not know or remember a topic, asking another student to help may help both students (and the class) review and remember the material.
Noting in the syllabus that students will be called on randomly frequently prepares the class for this type of review session.

Through daily reviews, the instructor can model how to discern overriding themes from secondary details.

Helping students who do not want to be called on in class

Often, a class contains students who do not want to be called on in class. Professor Grant notes in his syllabus that students who prefer not to be called on in class should speak with him personally. Rather, these students are asked to individually come to Office Hours where Professor Grant asks questions similar to those questions offered in class.

Dr. Grant notes a change in many of the students who begin his courses by coming to Office Hours to answer questions. Many of these students grow in self-confidence throughout the term and frequently indicate a willingness to be called in class to answer questions by the end of the semester.

Review Sessions and Office Hours

Dr. Grant holds some office hours in an office and calls these Office Hours. Another set of office hours are held in a classroom and are called Review Sessions. Often the Review Sessions are more popular among Professor Grant's students.

Encouraging reading of the syllabus

Announcing that the first quiz will contain a question about the syllabus can encourage reading of the syllabus. Students often feel affirmed for their effort if the question on the quiz can be easily answered by a student who reads the syllabus.

The 70% Rule

Students usually do about 70% of whatever you give to them.
By this rule, giving a one page syllabus is not necessarily more informative to the students than a several page syllabus if they only read 70% of each.
shortening assignments may not increase the percentage of work accomplished.

Lecturing to the whole class

Moving around the room during a lecture often creates an atmosphere that the lecture is being presented to the whole class (and not just the front few rows.) Walking to the back of the room and between the rows of chairs can include all students in a lecture.

Keeping the teaching of a course fresh

Professor Grant destroys lecture notes at the end of each semester and creates a new set of notes for each term. He mentioned that the next term he would be teaching a course for the 20th time and was looking forward to the class.

Using multiple sources in class preparation can add breadth to the examples and techniques presented in class. Moreover, choosing different sources for different semesters can add variety to lecture planning. Professor Grant lists additional sources he will use in his syllabus.

Dr. Grant reviews his lecture notes until his lecture style can be conversational. So, examples are reviewed until his notes are unnecessary.

Receiving input from students

The following ideas provide techniques in encouraging input from students.

Supply your e-mail address in the syllabus Place a suggestion box at each entrance of the classroom for comments Use the One Minute Quiz--The One Minute Quiz is a quiz given at the end of class (usually no more than once every two weeks). It serves attendance purposes as well as generating feedback from students. Here are some examples of questions for a One Minute Quiz:

How can I help you learn better? --This question evaluates students' thoughts regarding how you, as the instructor, can help improve the course. Recognize that some students share suggestions like "Get me out of this class."

What was the most important thing you learned in the topics presented today? -- This question helps you, as the instructor, learn what the students are picking up. Some students will share valuable insights into what they saw as important. Alarming patterns can be addressed in the daily review.

Improving as an instructor

A community of teachers can form who will visit each other's classrooms and meet informally to discuss observations.

Try videotaping yourself. Have you listened to your voice on audio tape and thought, "Is that my voice?" The same effect can happen with videotape. If you think "Is that the way I teach," you can improve your teaching. Videotaping can help nonverbals . Note that nonverbals have been attributed to over 90% of communication. For students, how you teach can be as important as what you teach.

http://www.wmich.edu/math-stat/modmath/tahints.html