How to make a class interesting
- Thread starter cocobean
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Do speed or smoke a lot of weed beforehand.
To be serious though: relaxed atmosphere helps, the less of feeling of dread is in the air the better, some professors and teachers I had were demanding and hard graders but open minded and willing to communicate with students treating them all as valuable individuals, also giving clear guidelines and schedule for students so they can expect what is going to happen over the next period thus assignments can be prepared appropriately (or put off for a later date comfortably).
The most important though: is to love the subject and enjoy teaching in general, putting passion into it, it can be very contagious even to students that never though they could get interested into the topic. I normally don't like math but I had an awesome calculus professor who had a nice sense of humor and very approachable, it made me reevaluate my fears and connect in my mind math with philosophy (something I can better deal with and understand, while both subject are inherently based on logic, 0s and 1s, at least in the Western philosophy).
Good luck!
To be serious though: relaxed atmosphere helps, the less of feeling of dread is in the air the better, some professors and teachers I had were demanding and hard graders but open minded and willing to communicate with students treating them all as valuable individuals, also giving clear guidelines and schedule for students so they can expect what is going to happen over the next period thus assignments can be prepared appropriately (or put off for a later date comfortably).
The most important though: is to love the subject and enjoy teaching in general, putting passion into it, it can be very contagious even to students that never though they could get interested into the topic. I normally don't like math but I had an awesome calculus professor who had a nice sense of humor and very approachable, it made me reevaluate my fears and connect in my mind math with philosophy (something I can better deal with and understand, while both subject are inherently based on logic, 0s and 1s, at least in the Western philosophy).
Good luck!
Be genuinely funny, and interested in what you want to teach. Have fairly high expectations, but be relaxed and encouraging. Give the kids [I'm assuming you're talking about high school?] some free rein. Do a variety of types of projects [not juuuust essays, or just 'fun' things, or lots of solitary or group time] and make sure to not only teach in one way. Walk around the class room while you lecture - it keeps attention better and for some people it's more engaging. Be very clear in what you want. In the summer months, maybe go outside to work. Communicate on an individual basis with your students. Try to find new ways to present information. Don't be overly concerned with what people think of you. Offer up pieces of your own life.
Most of all, be passionate about what you're teaching.
Most of all, be passionate about what you're teaching.
The best teachers for me have always been the ones that feel like they care about their student's success and help those who are willing to put in the effort they need to do the best they can. It doesn't hurt to be fun or particularly interesting, but the big thing for me is that they care as much as I do (though that does sound a little selfish now that I read that sentence back).
I think it's about presentation as much as the material. Well, not always but in high school, for most kids, yes.
Unfortunately with the subjects you teach, it's kind of hit or miss with who likes what. Some people will be inspired by everything and some people will see what most of the English curriculum books are like: crap. As for english, you could pick a subject that is very relevant to the kids and have them argue their thoughts or sides to a discussion. Introduce them to how essays are more for sharing ideas, unlike how most high school teaches you.
As for history, presentation is key. The information is cool but if you're like me, you just don't remember. Make the lectures interesting by throwing in random facts about figures/rulers (i.e. how popes hosted orgies in the Vatican even though that may not be school acceptable).
Unfortunately with the subjects you teach, it's kind of hit or miss with who likes what. Some people will be inspired by everything and some people will see what most of the English curriculum books are like: crap. As for english, you could pick a subject that is very relevant to the kids and have them argue their thoughts or sides to a discussion. Introduce them to how essays are more for sharing ideas, unlike how most high school teaches you.
As for history, presentation is key. The information is cool but if you're like me, you just don't remember. Make the lectures interesting by throwing in random facts about figures/rulers (i.e. how popes hosted orgies in the Vatican even though that may not be school acceptable).
I think what's important is to see the material in a new way each time you see it. to teach it is to learn it again but from a different perspective. If you teach through the eyes of being a student yourself that involvement won't go unnoticed. It's what is called "Shoshin." and it means to cast your preconceived notions aside and look at the material through "new eyes." If you are both teacher and student then the class can grow and engage in a learning process together as equals. In such an engaging and interactive atmosphere one can grow to their truest potential without feeling weighted down with expectation or diminished by lack of knowledge. The student will be able to sense your own desire to understand the material on a deeper level and therefore strive for that same ideal themselves.
For a moment there I thought you were talking about some kind of character class to a game. I was almost interested, again. What is with you and constantly disappointing me, hmm?
My best professors have been those who loved and were thoroughly educated on what they taught, and thus taught it well. If a professor has a morose or bland energy while teaching, that's how I start to feel, too.
I also love professors that incorporate different learning styles into their lessons to fit everyone's needs. Not total book work and not total lecture, or reading straight-from-the-book powerpoints. I'm a combination auditory/visual learner, so teachers that are able to lecture in their own words and make up tricks or comparisons to help us learn the material better, as well as taking the time to write them on the board, have been the ones that I absorb the most from. Those that are open to class discussion and input are a plus, as it's great to hear what other people in the class are getting from it, or what their thoughts are.
I also love professors that incorporate different learning styles into their lessons to fit everyone's needs. Not total book work and not total lecture, or reading straight-from-the-book powerpoints. I'm a combination auditory/visual learner, so teachers that are able to lecture in their own words and make up tricks or comparisons to help us learn the material better, as well as taking the time to write them on the board, have been the ones that I absorb the most from. Those that are open to class discussion and input are a plus, as it's great to hear what other people in the class are getting from it, or what their thoughts are.
I was teaching someone recently and thought about this too. I know there are a lot of models teachers use and methods of learning, but in the MBTI sense, there are two major factors that I can see: Sensing vs. Intuition. Or the teachers and/or students who lay things out in a structured path following a specific order vs those who take a theory and develop/solve it in their heads.
The professors and teachers I had in school that I liked best were the ones who would give the class the basics they needed and then tell us to go do something with it only providing minimal guidelines. The ones I was the least receptive to were the ones who had each and every lesson planned out down to the second and made us follow a certain method of doing the work.
The subjects (as far as the basic ones taught in high school) didn't seem to attract more of one type than another, Math, Science, English, all had a fair mix of both types of teachers.
The best Intuitive teacher I had in high school taught European and World History. Along side the standard lessons, he would teach using board games like Risk and Diplomacy so we could understand exactly why something like a land war in Asia is a very bad idea
On the flip-side, the worst Sensing teacher I had in high school taught American History and had a certain method of doing even the simplest things like taking notes. I barely passed her class not because I didn't know the material, but because I would botch the procedures she set in place.
If anything, I find that Sensing method of teaching to impede my Intuitive learning style. There was a lot of information I would miss when a teacher would require too much miscellaneous information that had nothing to do with the lesson we were supposed to be learning.
I know the Sensing types hated the Intuitive teachers I would have as well though. If the teacher taught a lesson and then told us to go off on our own to work on a project, they would be the ones asking question upon question like, "Does this go here or there? Do you want this or that? Is this good enough or did you want it this way?" So I didn't feel too bad about having those meticulous teachers one year when, the next year I would get some of the Intuitive teachers
The professors and teachers I had in school that I liked best were the ones who would give the class the basics they needed and then tell us to go do something with it only providing minimal guidelines. The ones I was the least receptive to were the ones who had each and every lesson planned out down to the second and made us follow a certain method of doing the work.
The subjects (as far as the basic ones taught in high school) didn't seem to attract more of one type than another, Math, Science, English, all had a fair mix of both types of teachers.
The best Intuitive teacher I had in high school taught European and World History. Along side the standard lessons, he would teach using board games like Risk and Diplomacy so we could understand exactly why something like a land war in Asia is a very bad idea
On the flip-side, the worst Sensing teacher I had in high school taught American History and had a certain method of doing even the simplest things like taking notes. I barely passed her class not because I didn't know the material, but because I would botch the procedures she set in place.
If anything, I find that Sensing method of teaching to impede my Intuitive learning style. There was a lot of information I would miss when a teacher would require too much miscellaneous information that had nothing to do with the lesson we were supposed to be learning.
I know the Sensing types hated the Intuitive teachers I would have as well though. If the teacher taught a lesson and then told us to go off on our own to work on a project, they would be the ones asking question upon question like, "Does this go here or there? Do you want this or that? Is this good enough or did you want it this way?" So I didn't feel too bad about having those meticulous teachers one year when, the next year I would get some of the Intuitive teachers
High school kids are difficult anyway, when you teach at Uni you can tell them to fuck off if they don't want to be there. I told this asshole kid (who was on a visiting high school trip to my department) I would burn him if he didn't behave. The teacher loved it as he was a fag (weak not gay)and couldn't do shit.
As for the interest, I found it easier to look over what I enjoyed and what I didn't recieve as part of my education. Any subject can be fun as long as the kids/adults believe you (which where you get them interested) and then doing something that maybe you would have liked in your school/college experience.
I much prefer teaching adults.
As for the interest, I found it easier to look over what I enjoyed and what I didn't recieve as part of my education. Any subject can be fun as long as the kids/adults believe you (which where you get them interested) and then doing something that maybe you would have liked in your school/college experience.
I much prefer teaching adults.
Release interesting information occasionally, especially of a violent or sexual nature.