Let me tell you a story. It’s 8:30 a.m . Last night you were up until 2 a.m . finishing up some homework. You go to class and your professor begins a lecture. Basically, your teacher begins talking and talking and talking and, even though the subject matter is something you enjoy, your eyes start drooping. You’re bored to death and do not pay attention. If only the professor had decided to teach instead of lecture.
A friend of mine once told me to take a class with a certain professor. However, this professor only taught 8:30 a.m . classes. When I asked her why she would recommend this professor, she responded with, “Because he’s so engaging that I don’t even need a coffee to wake me up.” I instantly knew this was not a lecturing professor.
As an education major, I find it extremely frustrating when a professor lectures. It’s absolutely the worst way to teach. I begin to think I could teach the class better myself and proceed to rebel by hopping on Facebook, texting my friends, doodling and doing anything else that would distract me from how boring the class is.
The problem with lectures is that they’re not engaging. The students are not active participants in the class. Some professors will tell you it’s not that hard to pay attention, that the media has ruined us so that we need to be entertained constantly, and their job is to teach, not to put on a show.
I agree that professors shouldn’t have to put on a show, be funny, tell stories or have numerous demonstrations. However, standing in front of a classroom just talking isn’t going to engage students. The way to engage students is to include them in the class. Students aren’t included if the professor is the only one talking.
There are many ways in which professors can engage the class. The easiest way is to have the seminary-type style, letting the students run the discussion while the professor merely facilitates. For example, if the students have a reading, the professor should ask the students what they thought about the reading and then guide them to a deeper meaning of the text.
There are problems with seminar styles of teaching. Students may have not read what was assigned and have nothing to contribute. This style can even be intimidating to students, voicing one’s opinions to the entire class is not as easy for some as it is for others. However, I would still take these potential pitfalls of seminar styles over those of lecture classes.
Another way to get students involved in the class is to assign group work. Many students groan about group work; however, it should be seen as our saving grace. Group work allows everyone to be involved and it’s less intimidating for some students to talk in a group of three than in a large classroom setting. For example, the professor could assign the students a few math problems and have them collaborate instead of working the problems themselves.
I’m not saying professors should never, ever lecture because, sometimes, it just has to happen. But, they should be mindful of lecturing all the time. A whole class period should not be spent with only the teacher talking.
Professors, if you don’t want your students to fall asleep in class, if you really want them to participate when you ask questions, then don’t bore them to death. Don’t lecture; teach.
