first day as a professor

Luis G

Luis G

<i><b>Problemator</b></i>
Staff member
Teaching Discrete Mathematics to graduated engineers, candidates to start studying a Masters at my faculty. It sure takes a lot of work and reading to be Mr. Know-it-all in a subject.

The students froze at the beginning and were shy about speaking their minds, but after an hour or so they started to be more friendly and to give their opinions.

Any teachers around here?, what are your experiences? any useful tips? :D
 
I can think of 3 people that fit the bill...

HomeLAN MBA Finance
Nalani teacher
Kuulani Master in education

All should have teaching skills to relate.
 
Try your best to relate it to things they know. For example, when I was teaching intro finance, nothing brings home the importance of compounding interest like applying it to thier checking account. Loan amortization becomes riveting when you understand that your car loan payment just might be WRONG (happens more than you'd think).

One more thing - if they can see you're not having fun, neither will they, and if you can make it at least a little entertaining, you'll keep their attention much better.
 
I was never a teacher but I've been a teacher's aide, tutor, and trainer.

I agree with what Steve said about relating to things they know. I don't know how well that technique will work with mathematics. A lot of times it's tough to put a class at ease, where they're not afraid of asking a question or saying, "I just don't get it." Then again, you may have students who fall behind and need extra attention that can't be taken out of class time.

I found a lot of what puts people at ease is you. The way you speak, words you choose, body language, if you can answer their questions. When we do training here for larger groups of people, we have a "parking lot". It can be on a blackboard, but we use these big stands that have a large paper tablet on it. On this paper or blackboard goes the questions that cannot be answered at that moment. The purpose is two-fold. You have a list to followup on later and they feel better, knowing there's a list that won't be easily forgotten. We also usually put the name of the person who asked the question.

Also, visual cues and images are great tools. Hand-outs, writing on a board, things like that. Some people can't visualize things in their head that well and need to see it.

And a lot of reinforcement that they are actually learning. I've had classes where we were constantly being tested. Answering questions aloud, graded homework, tests every week. It was unnerving at times. But I've also had classes with none of the above and found you may think you know the material but nothing will prove it better than doing it.

Taking five minutes at the beginning of class to review what you learned in the last class.

One last thing, congratulations! I really enjoy teaching, it can be hard and it can be rewarding. Is this a step in a teaching career or a temporary thing?

Professur Luis. ;)
 
Thanks :D

It is a temporary thing as of now, I would like to have a career in which I can research and teach at a university, with a master degree I can be a teacher, but the phd is needed to research (or at least to have that position at the university).

So far, I won't start the doctorate this year, I will work and wait until 2006 to start it, perhaps I will go to the INAOE (National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics) in Puebla, México. Or perhaps I will go to Germany but the problem is the language. I have a whole year to think about it.

Our family has somewhat a history in teaching, my grandfather was very condecorated teacher of Anatomy, my father was a math teacher, an uncle was too, another uncle is currently a teacher. Grandmother's brother was a researcher in vibrations, his wife in cancer, one of their sons is also a researcher. Guess I have some influence running throug my veins :D :D
 
Ooops, I got lost and forgot to write what was actually related to the classes. I have been a teacher occasionally, just one or two classes as a substitute but never the titular teacher.

I do try to make them visualize, using tables and drawings for the basic cases, and using rigorous algebra for the most complex cases, I do try to make the point clear with the basic cases and then question them how and why are things on the complex cases, I think it works pretty well, or at least I can't think of anything better.

I also propose exercizes in which they stand in front of the class, solve it and explain it to the class. I believe that having the ability to express yourself with a public is fundamental for anyone who wants a Masters degree, so I'm doing my part in reinforcing that aspect and the confidence in their knowledge.

I will follow the advice given by you and HL, I'm just too serious when I'm in front of the group.
 
So far the students are LAAAAAAAAZY, I ask them to solve problems so they can come up with questions about the subject but less than half of them actually do it, they *forget* the last class. I give them the option to take some work to their homes instead of presenting a written exam at the classroom and they don't seem convinced of either. The exam means studying too much and the work means spending too much time.

I guess that means flexible Luis is over, from now they will have no option but do as I say. They're trying to start a Masters for god's sake, and that means WORKING.

I'm sooo disappointed.
 
How strict is the GPA requirement? Where I went to school, Master's candidates have to maintain a 3.0 average; the second C gets them booted out.
 
8.0 is the minimum to approve in this course. Once they are in the Masters, if they go below 8.0 they lose the schoolarship, if they go twice below 8.0 they get booted out.
 
You might want to mention that, and that you'd be willing to give grades much lower than 8.0 if that's what they earned.
 
Sometimes you have to look at students like children, no matter what the age. They will test and push you to find out what your limits are and how much they can get away with. Sounds like you've got the right mindset, of less flexibility to get them going. It doesn't pay to be a "cool" teacher. You need to tell, not ask. :)

I thought of you today, I saw a job for a technical trainer in NYC. It sounded like a sweet deal, the only downside being all the traveling.
 
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