tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070355695530434450.post7974534552813568358..comments2024-03-14T04:16:20.472-07:00Comments on In Socrates' Wake: Making teaching a rewardMichael Cholbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02012523929044363216noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070355695530434450.post-41552832634193521812009-10-15T18:09:17.513-07:002009-10-15T18:09:17.513-07:00First, have fun. You are doing philosophy, even i...First, have fun. You are doing philosophy, even if you aren't talking to professional philosophers. This is supposed to be what you love.<br /><br />Second, make those frustrating, persistent habits of students an object of study. Why do they use cliches and trade in the least concrete and most vague language? Perhaps they are afraid of being wrong. Why do they turn in papers that you both know are under-prepared? Perhaps they manage time poorly and you can do things to help them with this. Etc. etc. If you can help yourself and your students diagnose the underlying causes of these things, the pursuit becomes all that much more interesting and rewarding for both of you.Beckohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16074821953202236848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070355695530434450.post-61511308735760500092009-10-12T08:40:56.616-07:002009-10-12T08:40:56.616-07:00I think there are a variety of ways to cede contro...I think there are a variety of ways to cede control -- for example, today my Ethics classes will be doing peer review of drafts. I don't read drafts because each section is 50 students -- so, a pile of 100 drafts needing substantial comments is simply impossible.<br /><br />Recently I've figured out how to use the on-line course management software to manage routine and boring tasks. That frees up time in the classroom to have discussions or do small group work.Inside the Philosophy Factoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12255753259090709877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070355695530434450.post-80856789298780358902009-10-12T06:20:39.523-07:002009-10-12T06:20:39.523-07:001. I share the dissatisfaction with graduate schoo...1. I share the dissatisfaction with graduate school focus on teaching. I found (in my time) that it was also motivated by a belief by some in R1s that good teaching just happens naturally when you know the subject matter well. So there really wasn't much of an "art of teaching" to master outside of just mastering the material through rigid research orientation. <br /><br />I've always said that I think it would be a plus if graduate programs gave training in teaching *some* focus for graduate students. To their credit, some do this, but most don't and I don't see this changing in the immediate future. <br /><br />2. I think your suggestions are excellent, Michael. I'll add one, and add to another:<br /><br />a) (adding to the list): don't over-prepare. This is partly an off-shoot of the 'cede control' suggestion. Too many instructors work too diligently to prepared outlined lectures. While nice and noble in spirit, I've found (in my own experience) that too much preparation leads to an uninteresting and stiff class. If you want good discussion, learn how to under-prepare in just the right way.<br /><br />b) (commenting on a list item): I think it is a shame that most teachers (that I know anyway) do not like being observed. I wish more teachers were openly inviting to other teachers to come and watch them teach. Every good teacher has an idiosyncratic model, and it's a horrible shame that we don't have customs and practices organized around making use of those models by seeing what other people do at our own schools.Chris Panzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01656795570624714115noreply@blogger.com