I
also think Bill has an excellent point. While it is time-consuming and exhausting
to give some positive feedback to all the students, it certainly tends to help
them. Regarding the parenthetical in Bill's quote of Bob, it would be awful not
to actually care about the students (see: How To Hate
Your Job). So, we care about the students and think it's
worthwhile letting them know it. Here are a couple of my methods.
In
my class of 55 students, I give many, many quizzes, exercises, and exams (of
varied weights) throughout the semester. I try to make sure that some of the
lesser exercises are easy enough for almost all students. The fact that every
student has at least a B on some exercise helps the general psychology of the
whole class. This is a relatively low-budget form of positive feedback.
As
well, I try to make some part(s) of each major exam less challenging. Whenever
a student comes to talk to me about his/her progress (fear of failure), we
review her/his exam and try to emphasize some of the successes. It seems
students are more willing to take a chance at trying to understand harder
problems when they feel more confident. And they are more willing to come for
help.
I
also try to recognize an overall strength in each student and acknowledge out
loud in class that everyone has something valuable to give. I indirectly incorporate
into the overall course grade a way to numerically value many
different strengths. It helps that we have both
individual and group problem solving, as well as laboratory exercises.
Paul
Paul French
Associate Professor,
Physics and Astronomy Department
PS 113
607-436-3358
607-436-2654 (fax)
-----Original Message-----
From: Greenberg, James
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2003
6:08 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Teaching Breakfast:
Searching for the Right Key: Unlocking the Doors to Motivation
Tbers,
I think Bill is on to a key point. That we as teachers
make sure our students know we care about them and their success. I have
to admit (sadly) when I think about my classess, I don't really do much to
ensure this. What types of things do you do to get the message to your
students?
----------
From: Proulx, William
Reply To: Teaching
Breakfast List
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2003 5:33 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject:
Re:
Teaching Breakfast: Searching for the Right Key:
Unlocking
the
Doors to Motivation
Dear Tbers,
My experiences with education,
both formal and informal, as a student and as an instructor, have led me to
conclude that an educational hierarchy of needs exists similar to Abraham
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory. In otherwords, the basic
needs of a student have to be addressed before the student can be
expected to advance significantly along the learning
continuum. As all of you know Maslow's hierarchy contained 5 levels
that addressed issues related to physiological, safety, love,
self-esteem, self-actualization needs of individuals. The various
levels of an educational hierarchy of needs would be slightly different but the
overall principles would seem to be the same. If this is
true then the key to effective and successful teaching would be achieved
by working through the various levels of the educational hierarchy
with students. It appears to me the most basic level of this
hierarchy deals with the relational issues of care and trust.
Consequently, I agree with Bob Rothenberg's statement "how important it is that
students get the message that the "teacher" cares about them (and
implicitly that it is true)."
Bill Proulx, PhD, RD
Associate Professor of
Nutrition and Dietetics
Dept of Human Ecology
-----Original
Message-----
From: Rothenberg, Robert
Sent: Thu 2/27/2003 9:59 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Cc:
Subject: Re: Teaching Breakfast: Searching
for the Right Key: Unlocking the Doors to Motivation
Hi Jim:
I just returned from a conference where we discussed,
among many other things, teaching techniques. One of the points made was
approporiate to this discussion: it was suggested that we need to say more
positive things. Studewnts read the commments and if we only comment on
what they do wrong (which is an appropriate thing to do), they get no input on
what they do correctly, or that it is valued.
A second comment was about how important it is that
students get the message that the "teacher" cares about them (and
implicitly that it is true).
A third comment was about the fact that coaches not
only point out to their athletes what they do wrong, but also model what is
right. I have, coincidentally, started doing some of this in my current classes
with their briefs. I used to have them pick a case. Now I use about
six cases I have selected, distribute them, and will give them a sample brief
after I have graded theirs.
Looking forward to the discussion. Thanks for putting
it on the agenda.
Bob
-----Original Message-----
From:
Greenberg, James
Sent:
Mon 2/24/2003 2:54 PM
To:
[log in to unmask]
Cc:
Subject:
Teaching Breakfast: Searching for the Right Key:
Unlocking
the
Doors to Motivation
TBers,
For our March 5th meeting:
Bob Rothenberg recently sent me some thoughts for a
Teaching Breakfast.
In athletics, especially at higher levels, one
quickly learns the truth of the old saying, "no pain no
gain." If we are "coaches" for students in their
learning, does the same no pain no gain hold true? High level athletes
are typically very motivated. Is this why they are willing to endure
almost anything to get better?
What about the less motivated students:
Is it possible for learning to take place without
pain?
Does
coddling students hurt them in the long run?
Can we
teach students to take the "tearing apart" we may do to their work in
the interest of furthering their education?
How many of us have had students respond positively
and negatively to this type of grilling?
What ways have you found work to motivate
students? Have you found grilling them or tearing them apart helps or
hurts? Bring you ideas to the next Teaching Breakfast on March
5th.
Mr. James
B. Greenberg
Director Teaching, Learning and Technology Center
Milne Library
SUNY College at Oneonta
Oneonta, New York 13820
email:
[log in to unmask]
phone: 607-436-2701
"Ignorance is curable, stupidity lasts forever"