Notes on Teaching and Learning

Mahler. Mozart. Mendelssohn. What can they teach us about teaching? You may have a flash of genius for a particular course or lesson plan, but most artful teaching requires planning, revision, and contextualizing the lesson or course into the overall curriculum. Much like the composition of the great musical symphonies. Fortunately, most composers do not […]

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You spent winter break painstakingly selecting readings and learning materials and constructing assignments that will engage your new students and teach them to truly value, and perhaps even learn to love something about, your subject matter. Now, a few weeks into the semester, someone has yawned, someone has tweeted during a lesson, perhaps many of […]

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When teachers open their classroom to discussion, all kinds of good things can happen: students may think about a topic on a deeper level, be exposed to a variety of perspectives, and even learn to respect those with whom they disagree.  Yet, discussions can also go badly, very badly.  Perhaps you may recall a time […]

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With the start of a new semester, how can instructors and teaching assistants be sure they are creating a positive learning environment for their students? Beyond devoting time to preparation, creating effective classroom materials and assignments, and getting to know the class, one of the most important things you can do to start the semester […]

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From all of us at the Kaneb Center for Teaching and Learning, we wish you and yours a happy holiday.      

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With the semester ending and only a handful of papers and tests lefts to be graded it is easy to lose sight of what has happened this semester in favor of refocusing on the upcoming holidays and all of the classes you will be responsible for next semester. But before you open the eggnog and […]

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As finals week approaches, so too does finals week stress. If the papers and exams to grade are piling up, be sure to carve out time to relax and maintain your physical and mental health. Finals week and the end of the semester are also important times to be conscious about students’ stress levels and […]

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Welcome back from Thanksgiving break. Only two weeks of class remain. At this point in the semester, students and instructors alike are often worn out and tempted to take one of two avenues: 1) They may be enticed to turn on cruise control, check out mentally, and start winter break a few weeks early. This […]

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Before you leave campus for the break, consider checking out a book on teaching and learning from the Kaneb Library and from all of us at the Kaneb Center we wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving  

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Can humor be used in the classroom to promote learning? The short answer to this question is “Yes;” so long as humor is used thoughtfully and appropriately. As pedagogy writer Alicja Rieger states, “Humor has been reported to increase motivation, enhance the retention of new information, advance problem-solving skills, encourage creativity and critical thinking, facilitate […]

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