Teaching Today’s College Students -- Four Simple Steps
1. Never attribute to malice what can be attributed to ignorance
(V. Ruggerio)
Use academic, social and emotional miscues as opportunities to teach important lessons
Many students are first generation and truly are unfamiliar with higher education
Don’t make assumptions about students’ levels of preparedness—model the outcome you want
Be intrusive—some of us don’t mature we simple grow taller
2. Recognize the developmental nature of students’ growth and maturity –a bridge is needed from high school or the work world to higher education.
(Ianni, A Search for Structure 1989) Model classroom policies after work world policies—attendance, tardiness, late work
Use revision as an integral part of your teaching/learning process
Help develop metacognitive skills—students’ ability to monitor their own learning—to know when they are ok and when they need help
Build relationships with students that can be used to enhance your ability to guide them
3. View the setting and maintaining of the learning environment as playing a key role in student learning
Develop a community of learners
Set high expectations
Confront students that are not engaged in the learning process—demonstrate you are serious about the classroom being a learning environment
Remember we all like some variety—even the best motivational tools grow ineffective if used too often
4. Remember the one who does the talking does the learning
(Sousa 1995)
- Be learner centered—learn as much as you can about your students as a
means on increasing your ability to connect your content to their background
- Use peer teaching, studying and editing
- Remind students that most learning happens outside the classroom—it take multiple application and interactions with information to learn it so it can be used again one month, six months a year from now.