Big Me, Little You!
One thing I found helpful when teaching a class is to get away from the attitude that I know everything and you know nothing. Yes I have more experience than my students but that does not mean I can't learn from them.
Whenever a student conveys an question, comment, idea or story try not to quickly shut them down. One of the worst things one can do to a student is making them feel as though they are insignificant. This is a quick way to not only loose the student, but deter the class from participating. One technique I use is to ask the class for feedback on the question, comment, idea or story. If the question is a technical one, I have the class do research to see if they can find the answer. By encouraging this activity, my classes become very interactive and fun.
Hi Michael,
Good strategy for using the collective knowledge of the class as well as your own to answer a complex technical question. This will help to develop the thinking process of your students as they prepare for the future.
Gary
I usually convey this message to my students as well. I usually tell the student that I don't know everything and I don't claim to know it all! But I am very well informed about said topic and very well experienced in the field as well. They respond well to this. Usually when I do not know the answer in particular, I tell them that was a great question and I will find out more information and get back to them with a definite answer. They respond well and find themselves more informed, as do I!
The big me, little you mentality is not a very effective approach. I instruct automotive technologies and have had 27 years experience in both practical application and instruction. I always inform the class of my background, but also inform them in no uncertain terms that I do not know everything nor does any on else. this is far too complex of a field for any one to retain that much knowledge. I make them aware that if they have any experience in the field, that they will be called upon as a source of knowledge to help the rest of the class in better understanding the task at hand. I always make sure that they understand that I may not have the answer to every question that may arise and that if I don't know the answer that I will tell them so and not just give them some B.S. answer to make them think I know. Instead of jsut making up answer, I inform them that we have other resources besides myself where we may find the correct answer. This not only negates the BIG ME, little you senario, but shows a little humility on your part as well. This gives the student the comfort of knowing that they won't be missled by some arogant instructor and that they will receive reliable answers to their questions.
This approach builds an incredible amount of negativism in the classroom. No instructor I know of would survive on this state of mind. Why start off a class with anything but a positive and supportive atmosphere. Let the students feel they are more than just a number. Most students have already given you their respect because… in the classroom, the instructor is still king. Proving it will be in how that instructor conducts themselves under an occasional challenge by a student who may actually have some good knowledge of the subject matter.
This is a good strategy. Ther is no way like you expressed for one person to know it all. I enlist students a times to help answer other students questions. Or if I know where to find an answer, I may direct them to that resourse so they are enpowered for the future to help themselves.
Students need to know that you are the expert, but also need to realize you are human, and learning as well. I use to start my classes telling the students that I would learn as much as them, and that we are in this together. They also need to know that you value their input, as long as it's applicable to what you are teaching, and that you will help find the answers if you do not know them.
I like that idea, telling them that I learn as much as them. They do like giving me information that is new to me also.
Hi Danny,
Well said. Sounds like you are sharing with your students in such a way that they see their learning as a team effort with you. A great way of getting a class started and students engaged.
Gary
It will give them more confidence too and the positive outcome of that will be they will strive harder to learn more about the topic.
Did you mean to say Big Me, Big You.
