CBAM research and personal observation show that the greatest concern of most new teachers is to be accepted by their students. Successful teachers, however, learn that popularity comes at a cost - a loss of authority that is needed in order to be effectively assessors of student learning.
Each semester it’s always interesting to observe how students respond during the “honeymoon” phase when they are open to instruction and eager to learn - the first couple of weeks before receiving any grades. But what happens after that? The best students stay engaged and take the challenge to broaden their knowledge base and deepen their conceptual understanding. The other students, sadly to say, blame the instructor.
So what makes a great teacher? I agree with John Richardson’s three practices of a successful teacher: Their teaching style matches the student’s learning style, they give individual attention, and they have a passion for teaching. I would add these:
- Content knowledgeable beyond course requirements
Students can see right through a bluff if a teacher does not know the content. Nothing can substitute for knowledge beyond what you are teaching. However, students also respect honesty which leads to point 2. - Honesty
I love it when students ask questions that I never thought of before - it means that they are actively participating in the class. But, not having thought of the question before means not having already worked through a solution. The most honest answer in that case is, “That’s a good question that requires a good answer. Let’s all work on it and come back with an answer next time.” - A strong sense of self
Students can smell fear. Teachers who lack confidence that they are doing what’s best for the students will back down when confronted. As reported in Delaney Kirk’s post, effective teachers help students be successful and show strength.
So, you want to be a popular teacher? Strive to be an effective teacher - if not the most popular. You’ll be popular with the students who “get it”.
Tags: CBAM, effective teaching, student opinion