What Teaching Means To Me
Posted March 4, 2016
By Meera Komarraju
I find teaching to be a profoundly fascinating and rewarding experience. My earliest memories of teaching take me back to my teenage years when I was asked by my father to “tutor” my younger siblings. However, I did not step into my first formal instructor role until I was a graduate student – and then I was hooked. Twenty years later, after teaching in different countries (United States, India, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan) and in a variety of settings (large, small, undergraduate, graduate, and executive employee courses), I find myself reflecting on what teaching means to me. Quite honestly, the time I spend in the classroom is the best part of my workday. As my administrative responsibilities keep increasing I find myself missing my teaching more keenly. Why do I like teaching so much? Well, I hope the five reasons I offer resonate with you as an instructor interested in or engaged in the teaching enterprise.
1. Teaching is a tremendously creative process. I find crafting a 50 minute lecture to be akin to an artistic composition of ideas and words. As an artist, I visualize the end product from the audience’s perspective and try to offer an absorbing, instructive, and satisfying experience. I spend a lot of preparation time in composing an introduction that captures the imagination, stories that engage the emotions, as well as inserting pauses and questions at the right spot to enhance student engagement and learning. I compare this process to arranging a bouquet of flowers, choreographing a dance, composing a sheet of music, or writing a poem. It has that same creative feel to it. When I observe others teach I find myself paying close attention to how they arrange ideas and the underlying principles that maximize their effectiveness.
Try it Yourself:
- Take time to craft engaging introductions
- Pay attention to the best spots to stop for questions and discussion
- Use stories or other material to facilitate an emotional experience
2. Teaching is about creating a relationship with students. I think the classroom experience has a dynamic, interactive, and social-emotional aspect to it and the quality of the student-teacher relationship has a strong influence on the learning process. Teachers who are able to establish a strong rapport get immediate positive feedback. Since I have been teaching mainly introductory psychology in large lecture auditoriums, it has been quite a challenge to create a personalized experience for a class that is largely freshmen and non-majors. I have learned that letting students know that I love teaching and that I am deeply invested in their learning is a wonderful way to build community and establish a meaningful connection. Students are quite perceptive and if they sense that you are authentic they tend to respond positively and become more engaged. A majority of my students come from diverse backgrounds (first generation, rural, racial/ethnic minority, or inner city) and I find it energizing to be a part of their lives as they figure out the college experience. By getting to know my students I find it easier to include content and examples that are relevant to their lives.
Try it Yourself:
- Do your best to learn the names of as many students as possible
- Explicitly discuss your passion for the topic
- Take time at the beginning to establish rapport and a sense of community
3. Teaching is about believing that your students can learn. I am convinced that all students entering my classroom can learn. As the teacher, I think of myself as a catalyst, as someone who has the opportunity to stimulate curiosity and inspire learning. From day one, I let my students know that despite their previous academic achievements, when they come to my class they can choose to excel. I encourage them to do their best and express their potential. I consciously communicate this expectation when I respond to their questions, give them feedback on their assignments, or ask for their input. I realize that students quickly pick up on what I say and also what I convey implicitly and nonverbally.
Try it Yourself:
- What is your metaphor for teaching? Coach? Tour Guide? Parent?
- Consider your view of student potential; do you treat high and low achieving students differently?
- Reflect on how you discuss your students with your colleagues
4. Teaching about teaching. Typically, most instructors start their teaching with very little training or preparation. Few academic departments have the resources to offer a teacher training program. I too started teaching with almost no guidance or preparation. However, I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to provide training/orientation to a group of about 20 teaching assistants every year for the past fifteen years. During a week of training prior to the start of the semester and in a weekly Teaching Practicum during the semester, the TAs and I discuss strategies for generating participation, grading papers, addressing plagiarism, managing classroom procedures, handling problem students, and motivating students to attend class and complete course assignments. Throughout all these fifteen years, it has been particularly gratifying to watch TAs apply psychology in managing the classroom and student behavior. We discuss novel pedagogical techniques and experimenting with them to bring psychology to life and enhance student participation and engagement. I find myself sustaining my fascination for teaching through my involvement with my Teaching Assistants and teaching them about teaching.
Try it yourself:
- How do you mentor teaching assistants?
- Set aside time for reflection on your own teaching effectiveness
- Keep up with the latest research from the science of teaching and learning
5. Teaching is a developmental process. I have often reflected on whether certain individuals are born to be teachers or whether it is possible to perfect teaching through practice. Based on my teaching experience, my research, and years of working with my Teaching Assistants, my sense is that teaching is a developmental process. When a person first starts teaching, they may be at a particular spot along a continuum. However, with experience and with conscious effort an instructor can gradually progress through a process of continuous improvement. The more confident and competent an instructor begins to feel, the more likely they are to enjoy the teaching experience. Instructors who enjoy teaching will find it hard to keep all the joy to themselves and will soon find it spreading throughout their classroom and infecting their students!
Try it yourself:
- Create a timeline of your own teaching history and mark important milestones
- What is your philosophy of how great teaching develops?
- Who are your inspirations in the world of teaching
Bio
Dr. Meera Komarraju is Professor of Psychology and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Southern Illinois University Carbondale; Fellow of MPA and APA-Division 2; and recipient of the SIUC Outstanding Teacher of the YearAward-2012.
