II. Interacting With Students

Teaching the Whole Student

If you were to list the adults most influential in your life, most likely several teachers would be near the top: teachers at all levels who taught you to think and motivated you to keep thinking, who helped you define yourself and the world only to show you your need to redefine them, who taught you as a "whole student." This handbook section aims to help you become a teacher of whole, complex people rather than a simple conveyor of information.
You can teach comprehensively even in a system that can reduce individual students to nine-digit numbers on a multi-page printout. First, recognize that you influence your students not just in terms of grades and future endeavors but also with respect to their attitudes towards learning and perceptions of themselves, their families and the world. The college years are particularly salient in developing one's adult attitudes and perceptions (see, for example, Perry, 1985). Consider what perspectives you bring to the classroom and how much of yourself you want to make visible without inhibiting your students.
Second, respect each student's right to formulate and hold a position different from yours or from those of classmates. Even when encouraging students to adopt a specific theoretical perspective is a legitimate course objective, you should also present unbiased evidence for alternative interpretations. Help students understand why you hold a given position, challenge theirs, encourage them to challenge yours, and lead without preaching; students are more likely to embrace a position they themselves formulate than one you impose on them. Leave the ultimate decision on matters of principle to each individual.
Third, motivate students to enjoy learning beyond what they need to know for the test. Motivation is a complex phenomenon that has received much empirical attention (see Lowman, 1990, for more details). Psychological studies classifying motivation as intrinsic (internal, self-defined, rewarding in and of itself) versus extrinsic (contingent on external reinforcement) have shown that superior performance is more closely associated with intrinsic motivation. Of course, we need grades and other forms of extrinsic motivation, and students often focus on them. Thus, we need to balance extrinsic and intrinsic motivation and not devalue learning for students by overemphasizing grades and test performance. In fact, asking students to take an active role in learning (for example, having them lead a specific discussion or give a presentation) has been shown to increase the attractiveness of learning. Of course, being excited about what we teach and helping students find ways to make a connection between our discipline, their lives, and the real world also increases their motivation to learn.
Finally, recognize that even when you don't know your students well (in large lectures, for instance), students feel as though they know you. As they attend your presentations each week, they see how you think and feel about yourself and your discipline, and even how you feel about them in a corporate sort of way. When students perceive you as approachable, many take steps to help you know them better. Fostering this interaction makes you a better instructor in that you know your audience better and consequently care more that they learn well.

The essence of teaching lies in the living relationship between the teacher and
the student. By teaching history, I strive to enable students to see that the
people they study were, in fact, real, thoughtful, emotional people who were
attempting to build a life. By teaching people, I hope to help them envision
alternative futures for themselves individually and for us collectively.
     
—Jenry Morsman, History

Learning Styles

Consider this controversial but thought-provoking declaration:

The single most powerful statement to come out of brain research in the last twenty-five years is this: We are as different from one another on the inside of our heads as we appear to be different from one another on the outside of our heads...Add to that the understanding that the 'world' out 'there' is as much a projection from inside our heads as it is a perception, and pretty soon you are up against the realization that it is a miracle that we communicate at all. (Fulghum, 1989, pp. 42-43)

You will communicate much more as an instructor if you remember that you see the world and learn in a way quite individual to you; your students learn, process information, and understand the world in equally individual ways. To reach as many of them as possible, you need to vary your teaching techniques and encourage students to attempt diverse learning strategies.
Those who research learning styles label and describe them in various ways, categorizing differences as left-brained, right-brained, rational, emotional, objective, intuitive, and so on. Our objective here is not to furnish such details but rather to alert you to ways in which students learn differently. The four types of learners listed below are described in purist terms; real people are a mix of styles. Moreover, most college-age students have probably not consciously analyzed their own learning styles and may be in the process of discovering and elaborating them. In your class you will find students with all combinations of learning styles; throughout your course recommend different study techniques and diversify your teaching style to motivate and interest students. For ideas, see the box below.

No matter how good your rapport with students, you may find they occasionally frustrate you by lack of preparation, habitual tardiness, whispering during class, inattention, and so on. Whatever the trouble, confront it immediately.

• Privately, tell the students involved that you see a difficulty.
  
  
• Describe it from your point of view, being sure to describe the behavior objectively and avoid labeling the students: for instance, say, "I've noticed that you've arrived every day five to ten minutes late for the past week," rather than, "It's irresponsible to come late to class."
  
  
• Ask for the students' perspective and listen to the response; students may be truly surprised that certain conduct bothers you or may have an excellent reason for it.

Usually when you address problems directly and make clear your desires, students comply with them. Hoping a problem goes away is the surest way to keep it-and raise your blood pressure. If you find yourself in a quandary or if you feel that students are purposely trying to offend you, consult with your supervisor, a colleague, or TRC staff. What you deem offensive (for instance, feet on chair, eating during class, or dressing very casually, especially during hot weather) may not be consciously insolent behavior. Today, American eighteen-year-old students have a generally informal attitude about class attendance, sometimes confusing not only teachers from other countries but also American teachers from different regions, school environments or social backgrounds.

Sometimes, too, you and your students will misunderstand each other. You need to recognize puzzlement and resolve it immediately:

• If you realize that you don't understand a student's comment or question, be honest and say, "I'm sorry, I don't understand. Could you please repeat (or rephrase) your remark / question?" Or ask whether another student can rephrase; sometimes you're not the only one who doesn't understand. Take the time to find out what the student truly has to say.
  
  
• If you don't know the answer to a question, be honest (and earn students' respect). If the answer is factual, find it before the next meeting. If it requires thought, you might ask students to prepare proposed solutions for the next meeting.
  
  
• If a question is irrelevant or inappropriate, offer to discuss it after class when you can ask questions to discover what lack of comprehension or attention provoked it.
  
  
• If students do not understand you because of accents or different expectations, you might clarify your point with one of these techniques:
  
  
  • Rephrase the information.
  • Use examples or an analogy that might relate to students' experiences.
  • Write on the board or screen, or act something out.
  • Ask specific questions to discover the source of the misunderstanding. o If misunderstanding happens more than a few times, figure out how you can be more clear and better organized. A friend, colleague, or TRC staff member can watch you teach or videotape your class so you can analyze classroom interactions (see "Analyzing and Improving Your Teaching").
    
    
• Finally, at times you may not know whether your students comprehend you. Students don't often admit a lack of understanding nor do they respond when you ask if everything is clear. But bewilderment will manifest itself in body language; look for puzzled expressions, lack of response, students' talking with each other. Make sure you allot plenty of time and opportunities for students' questions; at the conclusion of important class segments, pause and look around the room to allow students enough time to formulate questions, and consider using an appropriate classroom assessment technique to gauge students' understanding (see "Evaluating Students' Learning").
  
  
  
  
  
  The best way to communicate a profound respect for each individual is to
  assume from the beginning, both implicitly and explicitly, that students are
  capable of learning and of contributing to each other's learning.
  
  —Bill McAllister, History
  
  

Hostile or Harassing Students

Occasionally you may encounter a hostile or aggressive student whose behavior affects the entire class dynamic. This can be particularly problematic for those new to teaching. While you may feel tempted to tolerate distressing behavior in order to create an open environment for discussion, do not simply ignore the situation. Allowing hostile behavior can create an uncomfortable classroom environment that inhibits others from speaking openly. Such behavior includes vulgar or abusive language, sexist and racist remarks, persistent and conscious lack of respect, and/or questioning of your authority.
You should inform the Office of the Dean of Students (924-7133) when a student behaves inappropriately in any way. In addition, you can take suitable steps to control the situation, either at that moment during class or in private. In class, you can help students rephrase remarks to express their ideas without hindering discussion. Encourage other students to respond while continuing to direct the discussion; never allow a debate to escalate beyond control. In private, you can often be more direct, telling the student that his or her behavior has made some students uncomfortable in class. Finally, particularly if your course involves sensitive topics, you can emphasize at the beginning of the course that it is important to be aware of others' experiences.