INSIDE DOUGLAS COLLEGE / FEBRUARY 13, 1990
VOLUME XI, NUMBER 29

# INNOVATION ABSTRACTS

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WITH SUPPORT FROM THE W. K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION AND THE SID W. RICHARDSON FOUNDATION

 

Good Teaching is Common Sense

“I take it for granted that every teacher should be
interested in teaching, that he should work hard at
the job, and that he should have good common
sense. If he does not have those qualities, nothing
will make him a good teacher. If he does have
them he will learn by educating himself.”

While this view has been attacked by some as anti-

intellectual, this dean at a Big Ten graduate school was
right on target with the importance he placed on
common sense.

K. Patricia Cross suggests that we generally want to

cause learning, which she secs as a process composed
mostly of common sense practices. Cross gives us
hree:

iL

yourself, “I do that,”

Provide an active learning environment.

When students are actively involved in the learning
task, they learn more than when they are passive
recipients of instruction.

Allow and even demand practice.

Students need to be actively and successfully in-
volved in learning tasks that lead to desired out-
comes.

. Set high but attainable goals.

Academic performance, believe it or not, usually
rises to meet expectations.

Looking at these practices, you may be saying to
or “Maybe, I should do more of

that!” In fact, Cross contends these relatively straight-
forward strategies are only rarely implemented in
college classrooms. Our own common sense should tell
us that we can be more effective by applying simple
practices that are known to work.

Some Things That Seem to Work...

What follows are a few general approaches that

embrace strategies I have found to be effective in the
teaching process.

1

An Assumption About Student Interest

l assume that students are motivated to be successful
in my course. Furthermore, I assume there will
always be topics of real interest, no matter how
boring the general subject might seem. This positive

attitude is sensed immediately by most students and
makes them more receptive and participative.

. Structure and Tasks

Every teaching session has a definite structure.

There is a logical sequence of tasks or objectives. The
students know this and generally are comfortable
with it. We may not always follow the sequence ex-
actly, but there usually is a clear sense of accomplish-
ment when the session ends. If for some reason we
don’t get through everything planned for the session,
we carry it over. If time does not allow that, an
alternative way of achieving that objective is found.

. Students Using My Personal Notes and Materials

I lend students my lecture notes (not copies), refer-
ence books, and other resource material. They are
always returned. Most often this occurs with part-
time students who are not in regular contact with
other students. This is one of those no-cost support
systems a teacher can easily put into place and which
will help the student who is not strongly committed
to the course to stay with it.

. Accessibility

It usually is not enough to be available to students
only for scheduled course hours. Some students will
want to sce you in your office, so it is sensible to
inform students of your availability. If necessary,
give them your home phone number. Access is
important to students, and these practices eliminate
the old “I couldn’t get in touch with you.”

Our clientele will change. To a large extent, it
already has. Students have jobs, children, and other
responsibilities that often make communication
difficult. If we can provide some alternative ways of
keeping in touch, let’s do so.

. Handouts, Handouts, Handouts

In many situations where I could provide handouts
to students, I don’t. “Why?” you ask. “Is it not an
easy way to share material?” Of course, it is; and
sometimes it is a good and necessary practice. How-
ever, there are things on my agenda besides distrib-
uting the written word. If Ido not distribute the
material, it means I will have to find some other
mode of transmission; therefore, I will have to

 

 

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THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)
Community College Leadership Program, The University of Texas at Austin