On Course: A Guide to Your First Semester of College Teaching – James M. Lang

Summary

This transcript reflects the speaker's perspective on teaching, highlighting the importance of recognizing teaching as a skill that can be practiced and refined. The speaker shares their personal background of being surrounded by educators and the realization that there is often little explicit dialogue on effective teaching methods. Drawing from their own experiences as a student, the speaker emphasizes the value of individualized learning and hands-on practice in the classroom. The overall message encourages new teachers to explore research on how students learn and to experiment with different teaching strategies to improve student engagement and success.

Takeaways

• 😀 A strong teaching background runs through the speaker's family, with multiple teachers across generations.
• 😀 Many new teachers enter the classroom expecting to replicate their own positive learning experiences, but this may not be effective for all students.
• 😀 The most important thing for teachers is to experiment with different teaching methods to cater to a variety of learning styles.
• 😀 Teachers should engage in continuous learning by taking classes themselves, which can help them view teaching from a student's perspective.
• 😀 The speaker took a class at a local Art Museum, which provided a fresh perspective on individualized, hands-on learning experiences.
• 😀 From this experience, the speaker shifted their own teaching approach, moving away from extensive lecturing to more interactive, student-centered activities.
• 😀 One-on-one instruction and providing individualized feedback are key to helping students learn and improve.
• 😀 Experiential learning—doing the work and struggling with it—helps students more than simply being told what to do.
• 😀 New faculty members should recognize teaching as a skill that can be developed through practice and reflection.
• 😀 There is a wealth of research available on how students learn, and teachers should actively engage with this research to improve their teaching practices.
• 😀 Understanding how students learn not only enhances student learning but also helps teachers better understand and refine their own teaching methods.

Q & A

What is the speaker’s family background in education?

The speaker comes from a family of educators. Their mother was a teacher, two of their brothers are involved in education (one as a professor and the other married to a teacher), and their sister and youngest brother's spouses are also teachers.

What issue did the speaker notice during graduate school regarding teaching?

The speaker noticed that there was very little explicit dialogue about how to teach effectively, particularly regarding what strategies worked with students and how students learned.

Why do many new teachers attempt to replicate the teaching methods they experienced as students?

Many new teachers are inspired to become educators based on their own positive experiences in the classroom. They often come into teaching expecting to replicate the methods and strategies that worked for them as students.

What problem does the speaker highlight about replicating teaching methods from one's own experience as a student?

The problem is that not all students learn in the same way, so the methods that worked for one teacher may not be effective for others, leading to potential issues in the classroom.

What does the speaker suggest teachers do to improve their teaching methods?

The speaker encourages teachers to try different teaching strategies and to engage in learning experiences as students themselves, such as taking a class in a subject they are interested in. This can provide insights that inform their own teaching practices.

How did the speaker’s experience taking a class at an art museum influence their teaching?

The speaker took a class at an art museum where instruction was more individualized and one-on-one. This experience helped them realize the value of personalized instruction and led them to adopt a more hands-on approach to teaching writing, focusing on providing individual feedback to students as they wrote.

What shift did the speaker make in their own teaching of writing after their experience at the museum?

The speaker shifted from lecturing on writing techniques to allowing students to write in class, offering individualized feedback and guidance instead of just telling them what to do. This approach encouraged active learning and personal engagement.

What is the key to effective teaching according to the speaker?

The key to effective teaching is to try different strategies and to reflect on your teaching practices. Teachers should be open to experimenting with new methods to see what works best for their students.

What does the speaker say about teaching as a skill?

The speaker emphasizes that teaching is a skill that can be practiced and improved over time. There is a significant body of research about how students learn, and understanding and applying this research can help teachers become more effective.

How does the speaker suggest teachers can improve their classroom effectiveness?

The speaker suggests that teachers can improve their classroom effectiveness by learning more about how students learn, engaging with educational research, and reflecting on their own teaching practices. This continual learning process will not only benefit students but also help teachers understand why they do what they do in the classroom.