
Hello, I am a new instructor at a career college although I have taken classes on teaching and taught some as a TA or guest lecturer while in grad school.
One of the topics I've been assigned to teach is an area I dont have much experience with - theoretical, yes, but actual hands-on applications - no. Our class met for the first time last Monday and I realized that many of my students (at least 40% of the class) have VAST experience in this subject matter! I am not threatened by this, I want to harness it, to tap into their knowledge and experience to enhance the learning of the other students and myself.
What I'm struggling with is how to do that while still providing quality value to the "expert" students. I don't want them to feel used or that they're not learning too.
Thoughts?
Hi Jennifer: I think you have a great approach to harnessing the power of the knowledgeable student by not feeling threatened by him/her. My approach if I personally am not sure of the answer is to the throw the question out to the class and let us collectively and individually come up with the answers. An old adage I use with my students is: "There is more ways than one to skin a cat."
This lets them know that there are many ways of doing the task. There is no "one" right way.
The expert student is going to be an expert no matter what you do or don't do as a teacher. You don't have to stimulate his/her learning any more than you already have. That person is an expert because they are most interested and take the time to acquaint themselves with the subject matter before hand. However, you are an expert also. That person can learn something from you as well. If that person was as qualified as you, he would be teaching the class, not you!
Hi Carla,
You can respond to such comments by letting them know that "yes they are paying to be taught by an instructor which is exactly what you are doing because you are using a peer-peer model which is your choice as the instructor." Suggest that after you have had them work with another more experienced student that they bring to you any questions they have and that you will answer them so they are receiving "direct instruction" this way from you on a need basis.
Gary
I have also tried balancing the experienced with the beginners, which resulted in a bit of conflict arising within my classroom. Whether it was jealousy on the part of some of the less-informed students, I don't know, but they came to me after class stating, "I'm paying you to teach me, not another student". How can I avoid this kind of response? Thank you.
I have also started to intermix my classroom. I have placed some of the students with a graeter knowledge on a specific topic with some of the others who struggle a little bit. And now the ones who were struggling have got better test scores. These experienced students can actually be a great asset.
Hi Jennifer,
I would put the students into learning groups. Mix the groups so that there is a balance between the experienced and novice learners. Assign them projects, case studies or presentations. This way everyone can share and the experienced students can share their knowledge with others. In the meantime I would focus on learning what areas of knowledge the experienced learners are seeking. You then can select and deliver this knowledge in the course.
Gary