Sanford, Jim

English

Scholarworks@GVSU

Grand Valley ReviewVolume 14 | Issue 1 Article 131-1-1996From Dave's Home OfficeJim SanfordGrand Valley State UniversityFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gvrThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@GVSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Grand Valley Review by anauthorized administrator of ScholarWorks@GVSU. For more information, please contact scholarworks@gvsu.edu.Recommended CitationSanford, Jim (1996) "From Dave's Home Office," Grand Valley Review: Vol. 14: Iss. 1, Article 13.Available at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gvr/vol14/iss1/13FROM DAVE'S HOME OFFICE Jim Sanford We all like to be recognized for our good work, and thus it was an honor to have been selected as one of the two teachers who received the 1991 GVSU "Teacher of the Year" award. In my heart, I realize that I was fortunate, since there are many talented and outstanding teachers at our University who should similarly be recognized. My overall classroom success probably comes from my genuine love for the classroom experience, especially the interaction with students. There is something about walking into the classroom that makes me feel more alive. Although I have been teaching for over twenty-four years, I have never missed a class because of illness. No matter how bad I am feeling, when I walk into the classroom, I suddenly feel much better. Even if I won ten million dollars in the Lottery, I would want to continue teaching at GVSU. In the spirit of David Letterman, a fellow Hoosier, I thought I would share a 'Top Ten" list of teaching tips. Most of these tips are obvious, but I think teachers need to reflect, at times, on the basics, because teaching is so important a profession. 10. Be enthusiastic and knowledgeable about your subject. If you can't get excited about your course, the students won't either. A good teacher can make any material exciting. For instance, last week I heard Jonathan White, Professor of Criminal Justice, talk on "An Overview of Terrorism" at the University Club Luncheon Series. His forty-five minute talk was outstanding not only because he was knowledgeable about his subject, but because he was so enthusiastic. The audience was spellbound. Teachers need to present their material with fervor, and, if they can't get truly excited about the material, at least they ought to act as if they are excited. 9. Be organized. Although I have been teaching for many years, I still spend many hours preparing for each class. I believe that there are no shortcuts for teaching success. At the beginning of the semester, I give my students a general outline of my lecture notes. Then I embellish these notes with current news articles, stories, humorous anecdotes, and questions I plan to ask. I update my class notes each semester but retain anything that seemed to work particularly well in a former class. Thank goodness for computers! It is also important to use multi-media and other technology tools in an effective way, and doing that means many hours of preparation. 8. Make your grading system clear. Students want to feel that their grade fairly reflects their accomplishments and is not the result of the professor's whim. If teachers do not have a grading system that students believe is fair, they will get poor 26 • Grand Valley Review evaluations. Tl will be determi One practic the semester t the exam. I gi\ will clearly und making up the covered in cia! book, but stud instrument. He the comments 7. Use hur student evaluc: presenting the at the beginni interesting and of myself as a to have a gooc related to the r stories and jok· 6. Make th them regularly likely to call or the material. lr interact with th• 5. Be a co1 asking that evE the semester advising. First acquire inform the student's 1 career advice t students to att these "advisin~ performed a v teacher evalua 4. Challen~ students really "nothing worth your teacher e· 1 o n o r  t o  h a v e  J  " T e a c h e r  o f  = r e  a r e  m a n y  s i m i l a r l y  b e  ~ l o v e  f o r  t h e  i s  s o m e t h i n g  h o u g h  I  h a v e  ; s  b e c a u s e  o f  m ,  I  s u d d e n l y  v o u l d  w a n t  t o  s h a r e  a  " T o p  c h e r s  n e e d  t o  ~ssion. y o u  c a n ' t  g e t  ; a n  m a k e  a n y  P r o f e s s o r  o f  : l u b  L u n c h e o n  1 u s e  h e  w a s  T h e  a u d i e n c e  d ,  i f  t h e y  c a n ' t  : 1 r e  e x c i t e d .  . ,  I  s t i l l  s p e n d  s h o r t c u t s  f o r  , n t s  a  g e n e r a l  n e w s  a r t i c l e s ,  l Y  c l a s s  n o t e s  = I I  i n  a  f o r m e r  J l t i - m e d i a  a n d  1 a n y  h o u r s  o f  ~ir g r a d e  f a i r l y  ; o r ' s  w h i m .  I f  y  w i l l  g e t  p o o r  e v a l u a t i o n s .  T h u s ,  o n  t h e  f i r s t  d a y  o f  c l a s s ,  I  t e l l  s t u d e n t s  e x a c t l y  h o w  c l a s s  g r a d e s  w i l l  b e  d e t e r m i n e d ,  a n d  I  d o n ' t  c h a n g e  t h e  r u l e s  l a t e r .  O n e  p r a c t i c e  t h a t  w o r k s  e s p e c i a l l y  w e l l  f o r  m e  i s  t o  p r e p a r e  a l l  m y  t e s t s  b e f o r e  t h e  s e m e s t e r  b e g i n s ,  s o  t h a t  I  c a n  b e  s u r e  o f  c o v e r i n g  i n  c l a s s  t h e  m a t e r i a l  t h a t  i s  o n  t h e  e x a m .  I  g i v e  s t u d e n t s  a  r e v i e w  s h e e t  o f  k e y  p o i n t s  c o v e r e d  i n  c l a s s  s o  t h a t  t h e y  w i l l  c l e a r l y  u n d e r s t a n d  t h e  m a t e r i a l  t h a t  w i l l  b e  o n  t h e  e x a m .  I  h e a r  a b o u t  p r o f e s s o r s  m a k i n g  u p  t h e i r  e x a m s  t h e  d a y  b e f o r e  t h e  t e s t  a n d  i n c l u d i n g  m a t e r i a l  t h a t  w a s  n o t  c o v e r e d  i n  c l a s s .  I n  t h e i r  d e f e n s e ,  t h e s e  p r o f e s s o r s  e x p l a i n  t h a t  t h e  m a t e r i a l  i s  i n  t h e  b o o k ,  b u t  s t u d e n t s  c o m p l a i n  a n d  t a k e  o u t  t h e i r  f r u s t r a t i o n s  o n  t h e  t e a c h e r - e v a l u a t i o n  i n s t r u m e n t .  H o w  d o  y o u  k n o w  i f  y o u r  g r a d i n g  s y s t e m  n e e d s  i m p r o v e m e n t ?  L o o k  a t  t h e  c o m m e n t s  o n  y o u r  t e a c h e r  e v a l u a t i o n s .  7 .  U s e  h u m o r  w i t h  a  p o i n t  a n d  b e  e n t e r t a i n i n g .  I  a m  a l w a y s  p l e a s e d  w h e n  s t u d e n t  e v a l u a t i o n  c o m m e n t s  d e s c r i b e  m y  c l a s s  a s  " f u n "  o r  m e n t i o n  m y  h u m o r  i n  p r e s e n t i n g  t h e  m a t e r i a l .  F o r  i n s t a n c e ,  o n e  c o m m e n t  r e a d ,  " I  w a s  d r e a d i n g  t h i s  c l a s s  a t  t h e  b e g i n n i n g  o f  t h e  s e m e s t e r ,  b u t  P r o f e s s o r  S a n f o r d  m a d e  i t  f u n  a n d  v e r y  i n t e r e s t i n g  a n d  i t  b e c a m e  m y  f a v o r i t e  c l a s s  I  t o o k  t h i s  s e m e s t e r . "  W h i l e  I  d o n ' t  t h i n k  o f  m y s e l f  a s  a  o v e r t l y  d r o l l  i n d i v i d u a l ,  I  u s e  s u b t l e  h u m o r  i n  c l a s s .  I  w a n t  m y  s t u d e n t s  t o  h a v e  a  g o o d  t i m e .  T h u s ,  I  l o o k  f o r  h u m o r o u s  o r  e n t e r t a i n i n g  m a t e r i a l  t h a t  c a n  b e  r e l a t e d  t o  t h e  m a t e r i a l  I  c o v e r .  B y  b e i n g  o r g a n i z e d  ( p o i n t  9 ) ,  y o u  c a n  s a v e  y o u r  b e s t  s t o r i e s  a n d  j o k e s  a n d  e l i m i n a t e  t h e  o n e s  t h a t  d i d n ' t  w o r k .  6 .  M a k e  t h e  c l a s s  i n t e r a c t i v e .  K n o w  t h e  n a m e s  o f  y o u r  s t u d e n t s  a n d  c a l l  o n  t h e m  r e g u l a r l y  i f  c l a s s  s i z e  p e r m i t s .  S t u d e n t s  p a y  m o r e  a t t e n t i o n  i f  t h e y  k n o w  y o u  a r e  l i k e l y  t o  c a l l  o n  t h e m ,  a n d  y o u  l e a r n  q u i c k l y  w h e t h e r  o r  n o t  t h e  s t u d e n t s  u n d e r s t a n d  t h e  m a t e r i a l .  I n  a d d i t i o n  t o  i n - c l a s s  i n t e r a c t i o n ,  u s e  t e c h n o l o g y  t o  a l l o w  t h e  c l a s s  t o  i n t e r a c t  w i t h  t h e  g l o b a l  c o m m u n i t y .  5 .  B e  a  c o u n s e l o r  a s  w e l l  a s  a  t e a c h e r .  O n e  p r a c t i c e  t h a t  I  r e c e n t l y  s t a r t e d  i s  a s k i n g  t h a t  e v e r y  s t u d e n t  i n  m y  c l a s s  s c h e d u l e  a  t w e n t y - m i n u t e  a p p o i n t m e n t  d u r i n g  t h e  s e m e s t e r  t o  d i s c u s s  " a d v i s i n g "  i s s u e s .  T h e r e  a r e  s e v e r a l  b e n e f i t s  t o  s t u d e n t  a d v i s i n g .  F i r s t ,  s t u d e n t s  a p p r e c i a t e  t h e  a d d e d  i n d i v i d u a l  a t t e n t i o n .  S e c o n d ,  y o u  a c q u i r e  i n f o r m a t i o n  y o u  w o u l d  n e v e r  g e t  i n  c l a s s ,  e s p e c i a l l y  s o m e  u n d e r s t a n d i n g  o f  t h e  s t u d e n t ' s  c l a s s r o o m  p e r f o r m a n c e .  T h i r d ,  y o u  c a n  a c t u a l l y  h e l p  s t u d e n t s  w i t h  c a r e e r  a d v i c e  b y  s t e e r i n g  t h e m  i n  t h e  r i g h t  d i r e c t i o n .  F o r  i n s t a n c e ,  e n c o u r a g i n g  s o m e  s t u d e n t s  t o  a t t e n d  g r a d u a t e  s c h o o l  w i l l  s t a r t  t h e m  t h i n k i n g  a b o u t  i t .  I f  y o u  c o n d u c t  t h e s e  " a d v i s i n g "  s e s s i o n s  w i t h  s i n c e r i t y  a n d  g o o d  i n t e n t i o n s ,  n o t  o n l y  w i l l  y o u  h a v e  p e r f o r m e d  a  v a l u a b l e  s e r v i c e ,  b u t  s t u d e n t s  w i l l  r e m e m b e r  i t  w h e n  c o m p l e t i n g  t h e  t e a c h e r  e v a l u a t i o n  i n s t r u m e n t .  4 .  C h a l l e n g e  y o u r  c l a s s  t o  w o r k  h a r d .  R e g a r d l e s s  o f  s t u d e n t  c o m p l a i n t s ,  I  t h i n k  s t u d e n t s  r e a l l y  w a n t  t o  b e  c h a l l e n g e d  a n d  w o r k  h a r d .  I n h e r e n t l y ,  s t u d e n t s  k n o w  t h a t  " n o t h i n g  w o r t h  h a v i n g  c o m e s  e a s y . "  A r e  y o u  g e t t i n g  c o m m e n t s  l i k e  t h e  f o l l o w i n g  o n  y o u r  t e a c h e r  e v a l u a t i o n  f o r m s ?  " I  r e a l l y  e n j o y e d  t h e  c l a s s  e v e n  t h o u g h  i t  w a s  a  l o t  o f  G r a n d  V a l l e y  R e v i e w  •  2 7  work." "I feel that the tests were very hard. There was too much material that we had to know." If not, maybe you need to make some adjustments. 3. Remind students why your course is important. Students will appreciate you more if they understand why your course is important to their education. Thus, you need to figure out ways to make your course relevant. Although this may sound strange to others, I believe that a good business law course (mine is actually entitled "Legal Environment") is the most important course a student can take at GVSU. It involves critical thinking and the exploration and study of the legal, regulatory, ethical, global, political, environmental, and social factors that influence business in a changing world. In that light, I can convince students that this course is important to their future. 2. Realize that you can't please everyone. In reviewing some of the comments from my past teaching evaluations, in regard to the question in which students were asked to discuss my greatest weakness, I found some of the following comments: "Replace Professor Sanford with a real instructor." "Instructor should back off a little. I think he scared some people out of the course." "He was aggressive, obnoxious and intimidating when the course began. As time went on, he relaxed and became much more pleasant. Maybe he felt he had to establish his authority but he came on pretty strong." "Some questions on the test were a little tricky." "Often embarrasses students." "Manner is somewhat intimidating." Some students don't like my calling on them in class and challenging their responses, but I continue to use that technique and explain to the class that it is beneficial Regardless of how hard you work, not everyone is going to appreciate you. However, if 99% of your students think you are great, that should make you feel good. 1. Really enjoy your students. If you don't like students, you should be in another profession. Students can sense when teachers don't like them. If you do like them, but it doesn't come across to them, maybe you need to show them in little ways. For instance, you should know their names. Invite them to your office and act as if you are really glad to see them. Write encouraging and helpful notes on their essays. On their exams write comments like "nice improvement since the last exam-keep up the good work." These little items of individual attention are always appreciated. The bottom line (a favorite business term) is that good teaching requires a lot of additional work that might not necessarily be rewarded with additional pay or recognition. Your motivation for doing the extra work must come from a genuine desire to do a great job in the classroom. The real reward will be enhanced student learning as a result of a better classroom experience. 28 + Grand Valley Review TO' THI Since its fo mission. lndee teaching instit possible," and student-faculty Admissions C excellence in environment fc Consistent the Seidman S in each class e raises, contrac faculty membe order to impro received the G The old ad;: past, but not ir As we make o Schools of Bu~ to a demonstra Toward this recommended good teaching continues to bE extensive their Others, includi seminar each y At the initia improving teac shock during tt excellent teach their first seme than is found at At the next~ don'ts: for exan 

From Dave\u27s Home Office

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From Dave\u27s Home Office

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