Becoming a More Effective Classroom Teacher

Any time there is a student comment about an accounting course, the initial response is that the topic is extremely dry. Many students seem to walk into accounting classes on the first day with the firm belief that they are going to be painfully bored by the material (which can become a self-fulfilling prophecy). How do you make your classes interesting and enjoyable for your students?

I write a blog about teaching and I recently reported that I had surveyed my students on the characteristics of great teaching. The number one characteristic according to my students was: “Great teachers motivate and inspire students. They set high standards and challenge their students to reach those goals.” One student wrote “Any teacher with a degree can teach, but it takes a great teacher to get into the hearts of his or her students and inspire them. Great teachers inspire their students to do great things.” Okay, how do you motivate and inspire your students?

Every book on teaching will tell you that the best learning comes about when students are actively engaged. However, many students seem to prefer to sit very quietly and take notes (or daydream). How do you get students to be engaged and interactive in class?

Every book on teaching will tell you that the best learning comes about when students are actively engaged. However, many students seem to prefer to sit very quietly and take notes (or daydream). How do you get students to be engaged and interactive in class?

I once wrote an essay titled “What do you want on your tombstone I once wrote an essay titled “What do you want on your tombstone?” In this essay, I asked teachers how they wanted to be remembered by their students. How do you want to be remembered?

What is your biggest challenge as a teacher?

I am a big believer that a teacher should always know what he or she wants to achieve in a class or the class will tend to drift around in a random fashion. Think of your favorite course to teach. How do you want your students to be different on the last day of the semester? What impact do you want to have on your students?

I am a big believer that a teacher should always know what he or she wants to achieve in a class or the class will tend to drift around in a random fashion. Think of your favorite course to teach. How do you want your students to be different on the last day of the semester? What impact do you want to have on your students?

I obsessively believe that one of the most important keys to a great class is student preparation. If students walk in unprepared (as they often seem to want to do), there is only a limited amount that they can add to class discussion. Almost by definition, they are limited to being quiet and taking notes because they don’t come in with the knowledge needed to make a legitimate contribution. How do you get students to prepare before arriving at class?

I have often said that the way you test is the way students will learn I have often said that the way you test is the way students will learn. For them, every day is preparation for the next test. Schools often claim that their primary goal is to help students develop critical thinking skills. But, testing is often based on memorization so students tend to focus on memorization. Some of the students probably learned this strategy in middle school and high school. In this age of Google, memorization has few benefits. How do you test your students? Is your testing geared toward critical thinking skills?

In every aspect of life, good communication is important so that everyone is on the same page. Do you have any particular ways that you communicate with your students?

Students often leave class each day thinking they know the material Students often leave class each day thinking they know the material. I recently read a book that stated that students almost always over value what they know. I tell my students that they actually leave class each day with “Swiss-cheese” knowledge. It looks solid but it is really full of holes. How do you help students realize their knowledge has holes and then how do you help them plug those holes?