Common Sense
As I completed module one, it is obvious to me that a large majority of this is common sense .. having stated that, it occurs to me that in the heat of battle we tend to forget some of that we already know.
However, college professors are not required to have a "degree in (insert subject of your choice) education", and have missed the opportunity to be exposed to teaching courses and methodologies that others may have had.
w,
Good way to keep everything in front of you and ready for your use. In terms of students feeling like the spotlight is on them I use a simple procedure to help them get ready to respond to questions. I ask them a question and then give them 30 seconds to answer it by writing their response down. What this does is give them time to think a little and then write one or two items that can be used for their answer. This way everyone has a response not just those that can think quickly off the top of their heads. Also, this way I feel free to call on each student because I know they have had time to think through and jot down an answer. As a result they won't feel like they are in the spotlight without an answer.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
My mother always said that common sense is not as common as one would think. And though I tend to agree with her, I think that may be because when in the spotlight of a lecture it may be difficult to answer questions you may not have anticipated.
I often feel like I suffer from this during lectures sometimes.
How I contend with this is to have my lecture notes laid out in a very detailed and easy to read format. I Also keep copies of reference material with my lectures so they are easily available for reference.
Catherine,
Thank you for your "common sense" comments because yes, they are common sense and it could be assumed that everyone would understand how to use common sense but it isn't so as you know. We need to strive to share common sense with others. Who knows, there may be an outbreak of it.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Hello
You have a valid point and it is quite unfortunate, common sense is not always common among peers/colleagues. Sometimes bad practices are passed on to new hires and these practices, although lacking logic, are perpetuated and create defining cracks in the foundation of a good learning environment.
While these continuing education courses are not readily available for all instructors, it is expected that we, in the mean time, are able to apply field knowledge, education, and any common sense that we may have.
And ironically, I feel my above message is, well, common sense..
Catherine J. Soto, BA,COA
Kathy,
Thank you for providing your insight and expertise to this discussion. A lot of "common sense" does come with experience and we must not forget that when we are bringing new educators into our field. If we can help them acquire the basics then they can build on them to become educational experts. I wish you continued success as you continue impacting the lives of your students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Hi Don and others,
While I agree that a lot of this is "common sense" I also recognize that what is common to me may not be common to others who come from a different life view.
I learned valuable content from this module. I wish this type of tutorial learning would have been available in other places where I have taught. Since it was not, I had to rely on my own common sense when teaching. Fortunately, I was able to do that. I teach in a healthcare field. Having been a registered nurse for 28 years, I was able to transfer my own experiences into my teaching. Still yet, my own experiences do necessarily equate with the skill set needed to become an expert teacher; I would think this is true for nearly everyone.
I responded to this thread because I noticed not many had chosen it. But, it is a good one to talk about.
Thanks for taking the time to provide this service!
Kathy D. Wenger, MSN, RN
Don,
You make a very good point about teaching being common sense and that many professors lack it. If most professors would take a step back and think things through when planning and delivering instruction they would be much more effective. Since this is not the case we need to share our knowledge and expertise with others so they can expand their expertise and abilities.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
