Better Teacher

3 Steps

Focus on Learning of students rather than teaching 

1. One rule is that people learn faster and better with varied repetition. Children who practice the piano twice a day are almost always better piano players than children who practice once a week. The same is true of speaking a foreign language, solving quadratic equations, and writing persuasive essays.

1. A second rule is that people learn faster and better when they receive frequent feedback on their performance. (A corollary to this rule is that prompt feedback is more effective than delayed feedback.)

1. A third rule is that incentives can play a crucial role in the classroom

Teachers can quiz students weekly and reveal the correct answers immediately. In this way, students receive prompt and frequent feedback. They also have an incentive to complete assigned readings and pay attention in class.

Finally, teachers can take a page from video-gaming companies. Video gaming is a learned skill, and many gamers perform at a very high level. The makers of popular video games like Angry Birds and Super Mario exploit basic principles of learning. Players receive instantaneous feedback on their performance. They also gain expertise through repetition with variation. And leveling up is rewarding!

Key:

• Teachers should think less about how to teach and more about how students learn.
• Studies have identified potent enablers of learning such as varied repetition, prompt feedback, and mental elaboration.
• Teachers can put these principles to work when they build courses, assignments, and tests

From Source