Quora Question: As a teacher, is your goal to make your students become Nerds or will you just be satisfied with an average B student?
Neither. My goal as a teacher is primarily the following:
Instill a “joy of learning” into my students.
I have an insatiable desire to learn. I want my students to feel a similar sense of enjoyment and satisfaction in the learning process.
How do I do this?
Show my own passion and enthusiasm for learning. Example: Quote from one of my students, “I’m not sure yet why you’re so excited about this lesson but now that you’re excited about it, I am too!”
Start each lesson with a curiosity stimulating “hook” so that my student’s minds are open to the lesson and they want to know more. Examples: science demonstration-I pour a dark purple liquid into a clear liquid and the clear liquid instantly turned pink. Why does this happen? (lead-in to pH). Dry Ice: Why does the dry ice make a “screaming” sound when you touch it with warm tongs? What is happening? Don’t just do a demo. Start with the demo and then let students try it themselves.
Relate each lesson to something that is happening out in the real-world. Example: Teaching about ions. Ionic foot baths: People charge about $40/session. How can you use your chemistry knowledge to determine if this is legitimate or a total scam?
Teach my students how their brains work when they are learning. Example: In order for learning to happen, there has to be a stage of “not knowing.” During this stage new synaptic connections are being made IF the learner focuses their attention long enough to work through the confused stage to create new pathways. This requires some mental effort to work through. That is great! This is how we learn.
Teach my students lessons on the brain, what specifically is happening when we learn and what steps are required to help make information “stick.” This helps students realize that they are not stupid (big fear for many). They are simply confused until they understand. That is NORMAL!
Teach my students:
How to peer tutor to increase their learning and feel a team effort in class.
How to make information “stick.”
How to work through confusion successfully.
About their brain anatomy and physiology (brain basics) so that they have a clear understanding of how to do well on an exam and what went wrong when they did not do well. Student quote: “Oh Mrs. Dibble, I know why I didn’t do well on my Spanish test. I didn’t spend enough time on my “throughput” or my “output.” My teacher said that I could retake the test and this time I’m going to prepare better. Another student, “Mrs. Dibble, I feel smart in your class.” This is GREAT! If students understand how their brain works, then they stop beating themselves up when they do not perform well. They recognize that they did not do what was necessary to make the information “stick” and they have the tools to do that. They know what they need to do!
Final Thought: I do not want to make my students Nerds or be satisfied with a B average. I want my students to find the joy in learning.
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