Teaching Effectively From the Heart Kevin M. Johnston [e-mail]

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Teaching Effectively From the HeartKevin M.
Johnstonkmj_at_msu.edu
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If undergraduates had the chance, they would most
want to evaluate TAs on the following issues

• Their Ability to clearly comprehend questions
• Ability to answer in ways to meet multiple levels
  of understanding
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Classroom management abilities
• Ability communicate clearly difficult concepts

• - MSU Communication Undergrads, Spring 2003
  Survey

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Higher Education Today (In America and
Elsewhere)

• U.S. higher education has changed in the last
  20 years (Or, has it?)

1. Teaching and Learning Research
2. Teacher-centered vs. Student-centered Classrooms
3. Professional Demands

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Organizational Strategies

• How do I best to organize a Lecture or
  Discussion?
• What do I need to consider to make my information
  easier to comprehend?
• Is there a Cultural or Learning Style
  DIFFERENCE?

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First Order Principles Robert Boice, Ph.D.
(1996)

• Set a good classroom environment/Avoid negative
  thinking
• Wait/Have Patience/Stop
• Begin before feeling ready
• Surrender commitment to content coverage
• Welcome change
• Let Others do some of the work

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Presentation/Organization TIPS

• Build Lectures around 3 5 Main Points
• Begin with a Clear Agenda for the lesson
• If possible, keep main points visible (On Board)
  Or re-state them often
• Consider Breaking into 15-minute segments
• Punctuate lectures with review
• Summarize clearly
• Relate material to past and future lessons

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TA/Student Interaction

• What Do TAs Expect From Students?
• What Do Students Expect From TAs?
• Whats Causing the Problem?
• (What is the problem? Incivility?)

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A Teaching Philosophy?

• My students are
• As a teacher, my students think I am

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Wanted Good Faculty

• Talented History GS ISO a MENTOR.
  Intelligent, hardworking doctoral student with
  teaching and research experience seeks interested
  History faculty for professional guidance. Ph.D.
  in SOUTHERN HISTORY preferred. Sincere interest
  and honest care about the state of the
  profession, higher education, teaching, and
  research necessary. Some time commitment
  required, but experience guaranteed to benefit
  both.

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TA Teaching Behavior

• What would your students say about you as a
  teacher? (Does it matter?)
• How are your opinions of your teaching abilities
  reflected (or not) in your evaluations?
• If theres a difference? Why?

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Faculty Behaving Badlyhttp//tap.msu.edu/PDF/th
oughts/tt22.pdf

• Might not faculty misconduct in teaching provoke
  the growing problem of student misbehavior in
  the classroom Braxton and Brayer, 1999 (brackets
  mine)?

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The 7 Categories of Intolerable Teaching Behavior

• Condescending Negativism
• Poor Planning
• Immorality
• Uncommunicated Course Details
• Unfair Grading
• Poor Hygiene
• Uncooperative Cynicism

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What Do Students Say Are The Most Irritating
Faculty Behaviors?http//tap.msu.edu/thoughts/tt1
0.pdf

• Shows up late for class
• Doesnt show up for office hours
• Doesnt get to know students
• Makes students feel stupid
• Talks to the board
• Doesnt follow the syllabus
• - University of Tennessee,
  Knoxville FYS 1999

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Palmers Teaching Heart
http//tap.msu.edu/PDF/2007/teachingThoughts2007.p
df

• FIND IT Who Are YOU as a Teacher?
• FEED IT How Do We Grow As Teachers?
• FREE IT How Is WHAT You Do, WHO You Are?

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Teaching Heart (?)

• What Kind of Teacher Do You Want To Be?
• What Do You Want To Do as Faculty?
• How Will You Get There?

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Discover!
Who Are YOU as a Teacher?

• - Facilitator?
• - Coach?
• - Leader?
• - Dictator?
• - A Watering Can?/ Fire hose?

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Nurture!

• How Do We Grow as Teachers?
• Listening is Teaching.
• Talking is mostly Learning.
• - Alice Dreger
• - By Taking Risks
• - By Giving up The Chalk
• - By Shutting Up and TEACHING

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Sustain!

• How is WHAT you do, WHO you Are?
• Teaching is Reaching
• Teaching is to Create Space
• - Parker Palmer (1999)

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Creating Space

• What Opens Your Mind?
• What Opens Your Students Minds?
• (What if We Cant?)

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• Teachers become students, students teaching
  peers, all working to achieve a greater
  understanding of their subject within a real
  world context
• - Parker Palmer
• brackets mine

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• The Universe Will Respond
• to What You Project
• - Wayne Dyer

You Have Tremendous Power (But Be Careful)
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• WHATS NEXT?