This article demonstrates the key idea that I learned about teaching: the best teachers form-fit their teaching to the students specifically.
It’s your first job as a teacher to (1) listen and understand where your students mindset is, and then (2) teach from that mindset.
Using their vocabulary, their analogies, their interests, etc is super key.
I was a Graduate Student Instructor in college and I LOVED this because to me it was like a puzzle: (1) try to figure out where a student took a wrong turn when learning a complex topic, (2) take them back to the wrong turn and walk with them down the “right turn” until they finally have that lightbulb moment. The key to all of that was speaking/explaining in their language, not mine.
It’s your first job as a teacher to (1) listen and understand where your students mindset is, and then (2) teach from that mindset.
Using their vocabulary, their analogies, their interests, etc is super key.
I was a Graduate Student Instructor in college and I LOVED this because to me it was like a puzzle: (1) try to figure out where a student took a wrong turn when learning a complex topic, (2) take them back to the wrong turn and walk with them down the “right turn” until they finally have that lightbulb moment. The key to all of that was speaking/explaining in their language, not mine.