Manny Vallarino

A common mistake that I have to look out for is, since I'm young, worrying about whether the students will see me as an authority. To deal with this, I should remind myself of all the work experience I've already achieved at my young age, as well as the speaking and teaching experience I have at my disposal. Also, it's important to make the class a safe space where students feel comfortable taking risks.

Two other great quotes: "People have a strong gravitational pull toward feeling left out." and "Knowing something and not being able to articulate it is, in a discussion-based setting, the same thing as not knowing it."

Also, clarity in the syllabus and in the rules of the class makes everything easier, including but not limited to instances of cheating.

And important reminder is that the instructor must never submit themselves to the abuse of a student, and should step away if it ever comes to that.

"All ambiguous behavior is interpreted negatively." Such a powerful quote from the Harvard professor. I'll be sure to remember this forever, and to keep it top of mind during my teaching work, so that I can avoid having an unintentionally negative impact on my students.

I learned to always focus on what's in it for the students. I learned the importance of a syllabus, how it dictates in many ways the students' experience of the course.

The most important factor in motivating students is understanding that motivation is individual. By first learning the students' names and background, and then their learning styles, I can tailor my communication so that all students are motivated per their preferences.

Enthusiasm as an instructor is also key. And always seeking to connect the course material (semantic memory) with real-life experiences of students (episodic memory).

Oh, and positive reinforcement!

I like emphasizing successes, both in myself as the instructor and in my students. That certainly helps the class be better. It's also necessary to think about the students: What do they want out of this course? What's their personality? Who are they? Engage them emotionally!

I love the idea of using humor at the beginning of class to keep students engaged. Small celebrations are also crucial. Daily reinforcement and greeting each student individually in every class is an awesome idea. I love having "students" of the week, plural, to prevent making an intense competition out of it. Lastly, it's important that I bring enthusiasm to the class, so that my students may feel it, too.

I loved the idea of having a chart that holds photos of each student, along with background information on them, which I could review before a lesson to know how to best approach the class for that even audience.