The Counselor as Teacher Jim Pierce, MD June 30, 2005

Learning to be a Teacher Have you ever had a teacher who was: Have you ever had a teacher who was: So good that you changed your career path? So good that you changed your career path? So bad that you felt dumber after the class? So bad that you felt dumber after the class? So clear that you finally understood? So clear that you finally understood? So lost that you stopped going to class? So lost that you stopped going to class?

Learning to be a Teacher But that leaves us wondering: But that leaves us wondering: How do we learn how to teach? How do we learn how to teach?

Today’s Goals What do professional educators “do?” What do professional educators “do?” How can we learn from them? How can we learn from them? How did we start learning from them? How did we start learning from them? What is the plan of this course? What is the plan of this course? “The Counselor as Teacher” “The Counselor as Teacher”

Learning to be a Teacher There are two kinds of “educators” There are two kinds of “educators” Professional Educators Professional Educators Professors who become Educators Professors who become Educators

Learning to be a Teacher Professional Educators: Professional Educators: Complete training in Subject Matter Complete training in Subject Matter Complete more training in Education Complete more training in Education Complete “apprenticeship” in Education Complete “apprenticeship” in Education Complete “supervised” Teaching Complete “supervised” Teaching Become a Teacher Become a Teacher

Learning to be a Teacher Professors who become Educators: Professors who become Educators: Complete training in Subject Matter Complete training in Subject Matter Skip a training lecture on being a TA Skip a training lecture on being a TA Complete a post-doc in Subject Matter Complete a post-doc in Subject Matter Don’t practice teaching at all Don’t practice teaching at all Become faculty in Subject Matter Become faculty in Subject Matter Are assigned to teach a class Are assigned to teach a class

Learning to be a Teacher This system produced both This system produced both High quality secondary school teachers High quality secondary school teachers The occasional Dr. Feynman The occasional Dr. Feynman Unfortunately, it lacked consistency Unfortunately, it lacked consistency Professional Educators had limited training in subject matter Professional Educators had limited training in subject matter Professors had limited (or no) training in education Professors had limited (or no) training in education

Learning to be a Teacher The first major changes occurred in Professional Schools (Law, Medicine …) The first major changes occurred in Professional Schools (Law, Medicine …) The whole purpose of attending a professional school is to: The whole purpose of attending a professional school is to: Learn a Trade There is no point in wasting time with bad teachers

Learning to be a Teacher Professional Educators joined Professors Professional Educators joined Professors Professional grade curricula were made Professional grade curricula were made Effective Syllabi and Teaching materials were assembled Effective Syllabi and Teaching materials were assembled Professors were taught how to teach Professors were taught how to teach (whether they liked it or not!)

Learning to be a Teacher This spawned “daughter courses” This spawned “daughter courses” It was increasingly recognized that middle level trainees who were on their way to “professorship” were teaching assistants and responsible for teaching It was increasingly recognized that middle level trainees who were on their way to “professorship” were teaching assistants and responsible for teaching Thus, the “Resident as Teacher” and “Post-doc as Teacher” classes Thus, the “Resident as Teacher” and “Post-doc as Teacher” classes

Learning to be a Teacher Thus, a new field of education was born: Academic Science

Academic science is a rigorous field Academic science is a rigorous field Doctorate level researchers obtain grants Doctorate level researchers obtain grants They teach and teach how to teach different levels of “non-educators” They teach and teach how to teach different levels of “non-educators” They assess outcomes They assess outcomes They assess the assessment tools They assess the assessment tools They write papers about it They write papers about it

Academic Science Example Topics: Example Topics: Does the SAT effectively evaluate average students? Exceptional students? Poor students? Does the SAT effectively evaluate average students? Exceptional students? Poor students? Does the US Medical Licensing Exam appropriately identify people who know enough to become a doctor? Does the US Medical Licensing Exam appropriately identify people who know enough to become a doctor?

Academic Science Example Topics: Example Topics: Is teaching surgeons using Low-Fi models as effective as High-Fi models? Should we use animals for training? Is teaching surgeons using Low-Fi models as effective as High-Fi models? Should we use animals for training? What is the most effective way to build a Law School curriculum? What is the most effective way to evaluate whether the curriculum is working or not? What is the most effective way to build a Law School curriculum? What is the most effective way to evaluate whether the curriculum is working or not?

Learning to be a Teacher Key Message: Key Message: There are professional educators There are professional educators They are very good at what they do They are very good at what they do There is a growing body of evidence There is a growing body of evidence You can harness these educators and their knowledge to be a Better Teacher You can harness these educators and their knowledge to be a Better Teacher

Learning to be a Teacher What can we learn from them? What can we learn from them? There are many levels to what they teach There are many levels to what they teach To be a good teacher To be a good teacher You need specific skills (Speaking, writing, homework making) You need specific skills (Speaking, writing, homework making) You need managerial skills (TA supervising, Office running, Letter writing) You need managerial skills (TA supervising, Office running, Letter writing) You need integration skills (Building a syllabus, a course, a major, a degree) You need integration skills (Building a syllabus, a course, a major, a degree)

Learning to be a Teacher The two ways to effectively use a professional educator are The two ways to effectively use a professional educator are 1) Learn a skill through a one-on-one session, class, or course 1) Learn a skill through a one-on-one session, class, or course 2) Collaborate and allow them to evaluate your “educational product” 2) Collaborate and allow them to evaluate your “educational product”

Goals for our Course Learn about Professional Educators Learn about Professional Educators Learn specific skills Learn specific skills Practice by teaching Practice by teaching

Goals for our Course Learn Specific Skills Learn Specific Skills Planning Educational Goals for a class or lab Planning Educational Goals for a class or lab Designing a Course Outline Designing a Course Outline Make a Lab Manual Make a Lab Manual Make a Course Powerpoint Make a Course Powerpoint Give a Lecture Give a Lecture Make a Homework assignment Make a Homework assignment Give Feedback Give Feedback

Learning to be a Teacher Any Questions? Any Questions?