Spring 1995

Video Review: The 1995 "Teachies" (Part Two):
Best of TRC Videos
Bill McAllister, Graduate Student Associate, TRC and Department of History

The TRC has accumulated over 100 titles in its video collection, covering all manner of teaching-related issues. In order to bring more attention to this storehouse of valuable material, it seemed to me about time to hand out a few (spurious) awards.

Like any self-appointed film critic, I employ selection standards that embody my own idiosyncratic criteria. I have placed a premium on tapes that offer practical advice to teaching assistants and faculty. Additionally, since not all our venues are acoustically flawless, special attention has been paid to audibility. Please note that I have made no attempt to be comprehensive: owing to space restrictions, many excellent titles did not make the list. In general, videos run a little over one hour.

The April 1995 issue of Teaching Concerns describes five of my top picks. Here then, ladies and gentlemen, are the rest of the 1995 TEACHIE award winners!

THE "GOOD SCOUT" AWARD: Teaching the First Days of Class, Vanessa Karahalios (August 1994).

If "be prepared" is your motto (or you'd like it to be), this flick is for you. Find out everything you ought to do at the start of the semester to ensure smooth sailing throughout. Whether you're teaching a large class or small, this classic can show you how to earn a "good teaching" merit badge from your students. (Also see Cone & Gardner, August 1995.)

THE "OVER THE TOP" AWARD: When Silence Is Not Golden: Facilitating Classroom Discussions, Bill McAllister (August 1994).

Come along on this wacky, roller-coaster ride through the unpredictable world of discussion sections. Practical tips delivered in an excessively enthusiastic style. Not recommended for those with an aversion to humorous presentations. If you're in the mood for something less peripatetic, try Michael Smith's Leading Discussion Sections in Humanities and Social Sciences (August 1995) for a more sedate rendering of the same topic.

THE "GETTING TO KNOW YOU" AWARD: Hints for International TAs: Communicating with American Students, Linda Krag (August 1991).

Do you ever find the behavior of American students puzzling? Can't figure out why encounters with them sometimes feel awkward? Follow this international team of detectives as they unravel the mystery. Discover what expectations American students bring to class and what they want from you. Native-born teachers are likely to find instructive revelations here as well.

THE "READ TIDE" AWARD: Writing to Learn, Chris Carlsmith (January 1994).

Propagates the subversive idea that students can actually improve their writing by practicing regularly. This revolutionary manifesto provides the principles, applicable to any discipline, for insinuating writing into all aspects of your classroom instruction. Best of all, most students won't even realize what you're doing!

They've not yet been reviewed by Mr. McAllister, but tapes of all sessions presented at the August Teaching Workshop (August 28-29, 1995) are now available for checkout.