Knowing The Material
Taking the time to read through all of the supporting material and chapters will help you, the instructor, to become familiar with the material and give you a chance to look for any miss-information or lapses in the material before trying to present it to the students!
Also, it allows the instructor to break out certain topics from the book that he or she feels is most relevant to the class. Doing this shows the students that the instructor is on top of things and what is being presented is relevant to their future.
Charles,
I agree. It is important that instructors are aware of the textbook, so that they can avoid potential situations where there may be contradictions with the presented content. For example, a math instructor may have several techniques for completing a particular problem, however the textbook may provide an method that is completely different.
Tremayne Simpson
I agree that the instructor must know the textbook. That was the reason I took a speed reading class. There have been times that when I walked into the class on the first day the students had a newer edition of the textbook then I did. The college had upgraded to the new textbook and forgot to tell the instructor. Being able to speed read help me get ahead of the students on using the textbook.
remonica,
What are some of the instructional techniques implemented, that are questioned by your students?
Tremayne Simpson
Many students in my field(cosmetology) question my techniques because of trends in the field. But I let the students know I am teaching techniques not trends. Although, I must stay abreast of the lastest technology, trends, and techniques.
This is a constant area of frustration for me because we typically switch classes very quickly. Preparation is crucial, otherwise I feel it leaves us feeling off balance.
shari,
Another important reason for an instructor to fully understand their textbook, is to limit the amount of situations in which their may be a potential contradiction. For example, an instructor may summarize a theory in lecture that may not be similar to the summary that is provided in the textbook, which could cause confusion for the students.
Tremayne Simpson
I absolutely agree. It is extremely important that the Instructor be very familiar with their books and they have to know the subject matter so they can freely and knowledgably discuss it.
Daniel,
I agree. In some instances, there may be situations where the textbook information is slightly different than the information that is presented from the instructors. Thoroughly reviewing the material can assist in reducing contradictions.
Tremayne Simpson
