Keys to Successful Teaching

I was cleaning off shelves and draws, trying to purge old and unnecessary papers. I ran across a note card on which I had written "Keys to successful teaching." The card was mixed in with papers and notes from a mathematics conference I attended three or four years ago. I remember attending several sessions focused on what it takes to be successful in teaching. I don't claim any of these as my own original thought and, unfortunately, I didn't make note of who had said any of these items. They may be quoted in whole or they may be a paraphrase of what was originally said.

THE KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL TEACHING

• Provide students a rewarding experience
• Give six separate exposures to each concept
• Get students actively involved
• Review constantly, especially key concepts
• Teach in increments to build complex concepts over time
• Give many examples and use simple explanations
• Test frequently and cumulatively

I won't comment on all of these. There is already a large amount of research on getting students actively involved. The inquiry/problem-based approach is an attempt to do just that. Anyone who has read through my posts know that I believe in active student involvement.

I will comment on a few of these statements that relate to brain-based research. 

I don't recall reading on six separate exposures being the optimal number of exposures to a concept. But, research does show that repeated exposures with a spaced-timing sequence is optimal. The idea is that a couple of initial exposures should be followed by another exposure in 3-4 days, followed by another exposure in 7 days, followed by 10-14 days, and then in another 30 days. From this perspective, six exposures would help to cement a concept in long-term memory. Exposure could be continued beyond this as needed.

This repeated exposure then ties directly to reviewing constantly. In essence, spacing out the exposure to key concepts amounts to a constant review.

There has been much research recently on the frequency of testing. The research suggests that more frequent assessments may boost student performance. In one study, students who had video lectures broken up by short assessments took more complete notes and performed better on cumulative assessments than students who viewed lectures without interruption. This leads to the possibility of breaking up lectures with quick quizzes and other intermittent assessments.

It's worthwhile to revisit your thinking and focus from years past. It enables you to see what was of concern to you as an educator before. It also allows you to understand how much you have grown and where you still need to grow.

I've come a long way in my teaching abilities but there is still a lot further that I need to go.