August 16, 2011

Getting to know your students

Use part of the first day of class to gather some information about the students in your class, how they perceived their roles as students, and their expectations about the class by asking them to respond to two questions:

• What do you believe about teaching?  What is the role of a teacher?  What do you expect a teacher to do? 

• What do you believe about learning?  What is the role of a learner?  What do you expect a learner to do?

Before class, write your own answers to these questions so that you can identify matches and mismatches in your assumptions about teaching and learning and those of your students.  Students from varying cultural backgrounds may respond to these questions in unexpected ways.

This activity is also a great self-reflection exercise to articulate your thoughts about teaching and learning that will help you develop a statement of your philosophy of teaching.

Based in part on a tip submitted by Emma Bourassa, Instructor, ESL Department, Thompson Rivers University (http://www.tru.ca/).