Confidence in the Classroom: Ten Maxims for New Teachers

Confidence in the Classroom: Ten Maxims for New Teachers Author(s): James Eison Reviewed work(s): Source: College Teaching, Vol. 38, No. 1 (Winter, 1990), pp. 21-25 Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27558382 . Accessed: 18/04/2012 11:11 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

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in

Confidence Maxims

Ten

the for New

James

"A teach Henry Adams proclaimed, er affects eternity: he can never tell where his influence stops." The truth fulness of this observation is known to its implications teachers; experienced can be profoundly how intimidating, ever,

to

new

or

inexperienced

faculty.

The possibility that eternity might be influenced by one's first days in the classroom is likely to reduce a new in structor's initial feeling of eager antici pation to a vague sense of desperation and despair. Though much has been written about effectiveness teaching Eison Gleason 1987, (see 1984, 1985, 1988 for annotated Weimer listings of some of the best articles and books of this type), and some excellent advice for new teachers has appeared in this journal (Browne and Keely 1985), sur prisingly little has been written to help new

instructors

their natural ing

ten

new

teachers

and

face,

insecurities.

conquer,

The

follow

can

recommendations

assist

in their quest to become both professionally effective and per sonally self-confident; suggested read ings to further empower new faculty members

have

also

been

provided.

1 : To Feel Confident,

Act Confident

well-established chology is that actions

finding in psy give rise to feel

One

James

Eison

is the director

for Teaching State Missouri

and

Vol. 38/No.

1

21

of

Learning

University

deau.

of at

the Center Southeast

Cape

Girar

Classroom: Teachers

Eison

ings. For example, William James (1892, in Talks to Teachers on 1958) noted to Students on Some and Psychology; that there is "no im of Life's Ideals, pression without expression." Thus, to feel confident in the classroom the neo phyte instructor must begin acting con "Easier said than done" or fidently. "How does one begin?" the doubtful reader might rightfully reply. Increased confidence about one's teaching result when the following general are implemented ommendations practiced

will rec and

Why

You Want

to Teach

The greatest prestige often goes to those professions that provide the most substantial financial rewards; by this to be leaves much criterion, teaching desired. Furthermore, teaching is intel and physically lectually, emotionally, demanding; teaching excellence also re an inordinate of investment quires time.

For

structor "Why

these

reasons,

every

should ask himself do I want to teach?"

thoughtfully

upon

Teaching

without

3: Learn Associated

the Characteristics with Effective

Teaching

several recent reports and Despite books criticizing the quality of Ameri can education at all levels, most faculty can recall the positive members impact that at least one teacher had upon their lives.

careers

choose

who

Many

in

education

regularly.

2: Examine

articulate professors who have faced this question should consult the pro vocative essays written by Peter Beidler (1984) and Maryellen Gleason (1982).

the

new

in

or herself, and reflect

answer.

a personally

com

answer to this question can pelling to lead tedium and readily burnout; answer creating a clear and meaningful to the question, will teach?" "Why give rise to increased feelings of self and possibly to a lasting confidence to the profession. commitment Young in reading interested faculty members the reflections of two experienced and

have been blessed by higher their relationships with outstanding their faculty during years. college of these relationships can Memories provide valuable insights into effective should use teaching; new instructors these

as

memories

personal

guides.

A large and growing body of research literature offers in the inexperienced structor further insight into the charac teristics of effective college teaching. This literature should be read and its into teaching findings incorporated For an excellent in practice. example, recent text entitled Mastering the Tech niques of Teaching, Joseph Lowman a two-dimensional describes (1984) of effective model classroom instruc ex I is "intellectual tion. Dimension refers to which the citement," clarity of

the

the

instructor's

positive

teacher

mension rapport,"

can

have

and

communication,

emotional on

students,

impact and

the Di

to "interpersonal II refers occurs which when the

teacher promotes emotions positive and avoids arousing negative ones. This model is based upon both an analysis of published di studies and Lowman's rect observations of (and videotaping) award-winning

A

professors.

second

treatment of this topic has outstanding offered by Arthur Chick been recently in ering and Zelda Gamson (1987) "Seven Principles for Good Practice in '' Education. Undergraduate In additon, hundreds of studies have student examined ratings of courses and instructors to identify the key ele ments of teaching effectiveness. These studies (e.g., Burdsal and Bardo, 1986) im reveal the following consistently dimensions:

portant

or

structure,

(1) organization,

clarity,

teacher-stu

(2)

or rapport, (3) teach or lecturing ing skill, communication, or course diffi ability, (4) workload dent

interaction

culty, and (5) grading examinations. Other representative studies in this area have been discussed by Eison and Step hens (1988), McKeachie (1986). Mur a in controlled ob ray (1985), carefully servational study, reported that as few as ten behaviors predict the most of the in student ratings of instruc variance tors. These behaviors included: speaks uses hu or emphatically, expressively varies

mor,

facial

important student and

progress,

concern

shows encourages

moves

comments,

stresses

expressions,

points,

questions lec

turing, praises students for good ideas, asks questions of class, is friendly and for easy to talk to. Three suggestions new teachers (Eison 1988), based upon Murray's

findings,

are:

and

studies

Murray's

them

to

tion.

Systematically

class

and

planning

prepara a

emulating

key to confident teaching is ef planning; planning begins with Fac setting clear goals and objectives. not enter should with class vague ulty as much of goals such as "finishing as a One in Chapter fifty possible ters

or

period" the

before

"covering

next

exam."

and

movement).

expressions, dramatic! 2.

exer

self-assessment

activities,

critical cises), (2) teaching specific or speaking skills, thinking, writing, (3) examining one's attitudes and val ues, and (4) identifying the significant can be that personal implications in the

found

course

er the diversity

content.

and

instructional

process aging and your 3. Care

by

asking

participation a providing main points.

concern

actively. for

certain

students

students'

The

in

the

can

learning encour

teacher's

a

Demonstrate

visible to

visible

recognize human

that being.

you

are an ap

and

clearly

Few

observe

will

self-confidence

signs

of

students'

students'

a

than

satisfaction

growth.

5: Teach

Less,

is what

remains

one

when

has

for

occurs.

retention

long-term

For

exam

ple, H. Rickard et al. (1988), in a study of introductory psychology students at the University of Alabama, found that after completing their four months first psychology student had course, factual of little more knowledge psychology (i.e., 8%) than did a con trol group of students who had never a

taken

course.

psychology

Your

ef

to insure that what is taught is taught well will be rewarded by in creased long-term retention; hence the forts

"Teach

recommendation

6: Use Active

less,

Learning

better."

Strategies

Regularly About 25 years ago, Wilbert McKea in the Handbook chie wrote of Re search on Teaching (Gage 1963), "Col lege teaching and lecturing have been so long associated that when one pic tures a college professor in the class room, he almost inevitably pictures him as lecturing." Unfortunately, the of

numerous

recommendations

researchers of

several

and recent

national

enhance more

seminars.

graduate

gotten everything he learned in school." A few brave researchers have empiri the amount of knowl cally examined edge retained by students after comple tion of a typical undergraduate course; the data suggest that shockingly little

the

Furthermore,

things

of

remembrances

are frustrating But, such presentations to students and faculty alike. Introduc rather should introduce tory classes than overwhelm! Albert Einstein once said, "Educa

findings

to main

by structuring objectives in terms of specific knowledge, atti tudes, skills, and experiences, faculty progress.

questions, and comments, clear emphasis

in eas

the

objectives,

interest.

great

found

variety

instructional

actively

your students, recognize achievements their academic publicly that to insure hard and growth, work proachable

tain

members

Make actively. students engage

Teach to

facial (e.g., Fear not the

nonverbally

chap more

useful approach is to formulate spe for each cific instructional objectives class session. Gronlund (1978) provides a concise treatment of how to state course They objectives effectively. need not be restricted solely to material in the required textbook. contained Consider ways to address objectives such as (1) providing opportunities for demonstra learning (e.g., experiential

ier it will be for the instructor

humor)

six A

troductory

tion

One fective

one's

an expressive, 1. Spack Become actively. stu who enthusiastic captures speaker both dents' attention (e.g., verbally

re

4: Enter Each Class with Specific Educational Goals and Objectives

minute

in in As a result, freshmen classes may receive detailed

students.

pro

search-based model of effective teach ing will support the recommendation: To feel confident, act confident.

tions,

for

while

about

Eison's

vide both a conceptual framework and a list of specific teaching skills that can be used to improve classroom perform ance. New faculty members should re flect upon these findings and apply

Better

New faculty often demonstrate love of their discipline, and enthusiasm for teaching, by sharing everything they know about a given topic with their

Task reports (e.g., AAC on General Education 1988, Group National Association of Student Per sonnel Administrators 1987, Study of Excellence Group on the Conditions in American 1984) Higher Education add darkness to this picture. They all support Patricia Cross's (1987) conclu sion that "When students are actively involved in the learning task, they learn more

than

when

they

are

passive

recip

as in most ients of instruction," lec tures. The implications of this finding for faculty were perhaps best described that by Carl Schorske who suggested

22

COLLEGE TEACHING

the test of a good

a noun

regard learning' as a thing If as a noun,

and

passed

your

truths,

is, "Do

teacher as

to be

then

along, neatly

you

a verb?

or

you

to

your

as a students. But if you see iearning' is different" verb!?the process (cited inMcCleery 1986). students in Active learning "involves and thinking about the doing things are things they doing" (Eison and Bon well active learning strategies 1988); provide students with the opportunity to do such things as completing short, in in-class writing activities, engaging class discussions, taking field exercises laboratory

extended trips, or

completing

self-assessment or

debates

ing

exercises,

role-playing

in games

participating activities,

conduct

activities,

using

and

simulation in

computer-assisted

control.

for new

It is also helpful

present

packaged,

and

ization

processed

can ruin the per plans for organ

type of environment best-laid fectionist's

one

that

remember

to good

secret

to

teachers teach

ing, passed on through the ages, is "to all your life appear to have known in the day." earlier learned what you often forces That is to say, necessity the new instructor to stay only a few days ahead of his or her best students. In such instances, the new faculty

most

a few

tion

can

to

seconds

silent

of

students'

at

contempla one's

enhance

greatly

answer

can

instructors

experienced

test,

ability

questions.

New instructors should not be afraid to admit to themselves and to their stu that they dents that there is something do not know. But in the words of my Furman Charles Brewer, colleague al "Endeavor University psychologist, to reduce the with ways frequency which

you

must

so."

say

some

flexibility into your class preparations. involves a dynamic, often Build Good teaching interchange between you and the unpredictable, students.

struction activities, making individual or small group pr?sentions, taking tests of either the graded or ungraded vari ety.

Several

bers

can

learning

ways

practical to

learn

or

large

1986). mandatory

been

for

reading

all

are

who

their

in

instruc

Be a Perfectionist

7: Don't

can lead to

touch of perfectionism

carefully

class

prepared

ried to excess, is

de

Frederick (1981, articles should be

in improving terested tional effectiveness.

A

member

active

small?have

by Peter two These

scribed

mem

their classes?

into

strategies

whether

faculty

incorporate

to

certain

however, a

destroy

car

sessions;

perfectionism teacher's

self

little has been confidence. Surprisingly about written (Burns perfectionism 1980, Pacht 1984). Meier and Sheffler (1984) have identified four traits com observed among perfectionists: monly to details, overplanning, overattention and inflexibility in re indecisiveness, to

lating

neither

people.

These

behaviors

associated

with

teaching

lence

nor

teem.

Furthermore,

room

is an

the

of

enhancement because

ever-changing

are

excel self-es

the

class

environment,

involves a dynamic teaching the teacher and between interchange his or her students, as well as the inter change that occurs among the students effective

As

themselves.

is often

highly

Vol. 38/No.

1

a

result,

the

unpredictable,

23

classroom

and this

not

need

he

despair?rather,

or she should simply keep working. In structors need that remember only "when" something was learned is less important to good teaching than that the instructor was able to explain the material clearly during the class period. New teachers often ask, "How long will it take before I feel that I am doing a really great job?" In response to this to remember it is tempting question, the observation of Eddie Cantor, the great

who

showman,

an

as

that

a

it took him "20 years to be

performer come

noted

success."

overnight

The

expe

riences of many faculty suggest that, when taught well, students can be an especially appreciative audience. 8: Be Relaxed about Admitting It When You Don't Know Something measure

One

is the

tiveness

students curiosity

instructional of

ask. Anticipate and creativity than

greater

of number

most

effec that

questions

that student will often be

instructors'

knowl

there will be times edge and experience; when will student questions stymie even

the most

senior

instructor.

In such

the wise instructor does not situations, panic; rather, she or he remembers the ancient Greek "When at a proverb, loss

as

to how

to go

on,

cough."

Or,

as

9: Ask for Response from Students and Colleagues to improve One of the best ways both teaching skills and level of self is to seek feedback confidence from both students and colleagues. Ask stu dents how well they understood yester day's class or last night's homework ask for a writ assignment. Periodically ten mous

which

response, answers

to

may short

be

by

standard

anony rating

forms or by asking students to describe in writing the three things they have liked best about the class and the three strate they have liked least. Additional can to that be used successfully gies gather student feedback have been de scribed by Eison and Hoover (1989). Regrettably, relatively little has been written about the use of peer observa tions to improve instruction (Eison a 1988). Helling (1988) has developed useful series of observational checklists in three different types of classes: (1) teaching through entation, lecture), involvement (i.e., teaching ventory

through contains

(i.e., pres speaking (2) teaching through and (3) discussion), Each in questioning. statements

that

describe good teaching; observers can use these inventories to check off readi ly those behaviors seen during the class

The

session.

can

inventories

com

be

trained observers, pleted by students, or faculty colleagues and used by the alone or in con member either faculty sultation with the classroom observer. teacher And last, the self-confident Twain's will always remember Mark sage

"When

advice,

you

can't

get

a

any other way, pay your compliment of silent re self one." A few minutes feedback?after flection?or private each class session can help the new in structor identify his or her instruction new skills al successes, upon which later be built. may that Enthusiasm 10: Remember and Energy Can Carry the Day It has been said that teachers can be into three groups: divided (1) those who make (2) those things happen, and (3) who watch things happen, those who ask, "What happened?" The hope is that new faculty will com leaders of mit themselves to becoming the first group and insure that the pos of a few senior col sible negativism leagues does not deter their commit ment to teaching excellence. Emerson once noted, "Nothing great enthu without was ever accomplished In

siasm."

the

an

classroom,

instruc

is often contagious; lack of enthusiasm. McKeachie that, (1974) has noted one thing ismore impor no "probably tant in education than the teacher's en tor's enthusiasm so too, is the

and

thusiasm

energy."

texts on college Grasha and 1983, teaching (Fuhrmann neo the do McKeachie provide 1986) val and with instructor practical phyte uable advice. They will help new in and current

structors recognize that teaching excel lence requires them to be sensitive and to critical issues that have responsive only

from

recently

received

educational

developers,

and

to

undergraduates

conduct

research

1986) (Palladino is But as noted by Horace, "Wisdom it is derived from not wisdom when is to

That

alone."

books

can

say, much

learned about teaching excellence in the one's daily experiences through A positive classroom. attitude, high to and willingness level of motivation, reflect on one's teaching will join with to increase both texts and experience and skill. self-confidence

be

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