Teaching Studious Students (How to become good teacher - 3)

While the teacher makes some of students learn, the some makes the teacher learn!

There is a category of the students in each class – those who are eager to learn, but doesn’t know about the subject.  Here, the most important role of a teacher come in – it is quite true that interest and passion has to drive the students to gather more knowledge as well as to learn more.  So, the role of the teacher is to fuel the flame of interest in the student.  For any well experienced teacher, it is again a newer experience to teach these categories of students – without any background in the subject.  It is easy to teach the first category where the students know the topic or they have the fundamental knowledge about the subject.  For the second category, they find their own way of learning.  But this category of the students needs the help; support and motivation from the teacher – both technically and psychologically. Here also, teacher has to deal with them as a separate group so that the teacher reaches the level of each student to bring them up.  They should be given a chance to ask questions so that the teacher brakes the shell of shyness. Initially give them basic assignments on the topic taught, to work in the class/ outside the class. The assignments must be as simple as possible to gain confidence in the beginning itself. Give them the clues to solve, but not the entire picture of the solution.  Make them think by asking the questions during the lecture.  It is easy to explain the theory concepts by relating with the applications and give them hands-on exercise to gain more confidence.  When there is an urge to learn, they need confidence also to move ahead.  Sometimes, there is also a need to give personal attention.  A good teacher can always find weak students and good in the class.  After the class hours, focus on these students and try to bring them up by giving additional classes.  It is in fact a struggle, but the role of a teacher is complete only when this job is done.  There is no need to teach for those who already know the subject.  As teachers, we should try to feed those who are hungry.  At the same time, it doesn’t mean that the first category of students are neglected just because of the third category.  They should be given more competitive assignments and exercises.  The truth is, these set of students are the real motivation for the teacher to hunt for more knowledge.  If the class is a combination of 5 categories, there are two outcomes in this situation – either the first set get frustrated because teacher is teaching in only the basics; or the third category is demotivated because the teacher is teaching at the advanced level based on the first category.  Now, how to balance?  Teacher has to segregate these two groups and build a bridge to fill the gap.  Bridging the gap is possible only by taking fundamental classes otherwise called as “pre-requisites” prior to the commencement of class.  If this is not possible, arrange classes during holidays in the beginning of the semester, especially in the morning.  Convince the students why they should learn the pre-requisites to reach at least at the level of basics.  In computer science, I have seen students with Biology background sitting with the students with mathematics and computer science background to learn programming.  It is full of horror for biology students and they get demotivated like anything. They lose the confidence in the first year itself.  Now-a-days, programming is also considered as one of the basic courses in engineering.