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Are Expert Teachers Good Communicators?

10/30/2018

2 Comments

 
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It goes without saying that good teachers are good communicators—or does it? (Tweet it!) Many universities and business schools rely on “expert” teachers who are tops in their field, but not necessarily skilled at transferring their knowledge to other people.
 

Writing in The New York Times , organizational psychologist Adam Grant points out that experts in any given field might have mastered basic material so long ago that they are especially challenged in conveying it to novices. In addition, the skills that got them where they are—e.g. research brilliance or entrepreneurial success—may not have prepared them to teach what they know to others.

“I’ve come to believe that if you want to learn something new, there are three factors that you should keep in mind when choosing a teacher — whether it’s a professor or mentor or soccer coach,” writes Grant. To quote…


  1.  How long has it been since the teacher studied the material?
  2. How challenging was it for the educator to initially master the material? The best teachers are often people who accomplish the most with less natural talent and opportunity.
  3. How clearly does the teacher communicate the material? Evidence (http://www.nber.org/papers/w19406) shows that when college students take an introductory class from a lecturer who’s not on the tenure track, they go on to get higher grades in a more advanced class.
 
Tell us about the best teacher you ever had. How did this person communicate material in a way that resonated with you? Have you ever had an “expert” teacher who was hard to understand and learn from? If you are a teacher, what are your communication best practices? To join the conversation, click "comments" above.
 
If you would like to learn more about creating a habit around masterful communication,
check out our online learning series.

2 Comments
Ron Benfield link
10/31/2018 03:43:59 am

Mrs. Alise Grenburg, high school English teacher was probably the best teacher I ever had. She was considered stern by some, because she didn't put up with nonsense, but she was challenging and made us figure things out for ourselves.
She had a knack for asking a string of questions to make her students think something through, learning critical thinking. To this day, at my 40th high school reunion, the teacher most revered was Mrs. Grenburg.
No student of hers ever ended a school year without knowing their/there/they're, effect/affect, its/it's and a dozen other things that everyone should just get right.

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Peter
11/1/2018 12:25:37 pm

So true Ron: Great teachers do stay in our memories. We both remember our greatest teachers and life long lessons learned from them. Like yours, both of our favorites were English teachers. Thanks for staying active in our community.

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