When I decided to write a book on how to manage the classroom more effectively, I decided to go to the “source” and ask students for their advice.  I surveyed undergraduate students at three different universities (a small private college, a large public university, and a community college).  The following are some of their comments. 

Question:  What advice would you give to college professors regarding teaching?

Enjoy the subject matter and be enthusiastic about teaching.  Must care about the job and students.     

-Tyler

Show that you mean business.  Dock late papers if there’s a verifiable excuse for lateness, don’t just not accept them.  Be available to the students.  They are why you are here.            

-Katie

Involve the students; relate current events or past events; mix up your teaching style.    

     -Nick P.

Relate to the students as much as possible, encourage discussion, make learning fun but retainable.                                       

-Justin

Make class interesting.                     

-Mark W.

Be prepared for students to be unwilling to give input. Make class interaction and participation mandatory.                                       

-Dana

Don’t let your class tell you how to grade or let them talk you into lowering standards.  I’ve seen this happen way too often and it takes value away from the class.                                        

-Kelly S.

Good luck.  Be patient; talk to those professors who have been teaching at the school for a long time to learn the culture of that school; don’t expect too much or too little from your students.            

-No name given

Be relaxed, teach your own way.  Ask for feedback from your class so you can decide how students best learn and participate.            

-Anne

Keep personal opinions out of classes such as politics and history.  Use real world examples.  Be relaxed and easy to talk to.  Don’t feel threatened by students.                                         

-Sarah M.

Generate class discussion, not only talk about the subject itself but also any real-world events related to it.  Projects are also helpful in learning the material.                                     

-No name given

Be flexible with students, everyone learns differently.  Lay ground rules and follow them.  Come prepared to every class.  Be a role model.           

-Louis

Don’t build a wall.  Make yourself seem approachable and genuinely interested in our academic life.  Don’t drag out things that could be explained in half the time.  Make class something we feel we need to go to in order to learn something.                                    

-Jill

Be able to break down the material and theories; encourage class discussions; don’t use just power point.                                               

-Shawanda

I would have to say they need to be very firm in what they’ll not allow and be very firm on these rules to all students.                

-No name given

Get to know your students.  Know their names, know their areas of study, know something about them.                                       

-Carlos

Don’t read to your students-we can read.  Use real life examples, it makes it more clear and real to us.  We remember these more than random sentences from the book.                          

-Amy

Make it interesting and use applicable examples and a little humor doesn’t hurt.  Take workshops on how to be a better teacher.   

-No name given

Be up-front with your students, tell them what you expect, make it reasonable, obtainable, but not too easy.                                     

-Mary

Involve the class and make it clear how the subject is important to them.  Assignments must clearly reflect the material and doing them really assists learning the material.  Tests have applied knowledge questions.  Don’t stress note-taking too much, but it is necessary.              

-Mark

Most new college professors seem to read directly what their notes or power point say instead of actually expanding on a topic.  Bring into the class real life examples or stories dealing with the topic.

-Carl

I would tell them to take control of the class from day one, but don’t hesitate to get to know and become involved in your students.  Help them help themselves be successful.                                  

-Brad

Be enthusiastic and confident.   Don’t show fear.

-Derek

If you see that a student is performing poorly (i.e. bad grades on tests, papers) try to bring them into office for help.                           

-Brett

Command respect from the get-go.  Be firm, but also know how to be approachable for students.  Be in control of the classes and find ways to get students to want to come to class.                          

-Drew

Be excited and be fun.  Don’t go by someone else’s lesson plan/structure-invent your own.  Don’t stick with one text.  Doesn’t mean you have to make students buy 6 books, but bring in other sources and information.  Classes that I have learned the most from, didn’t have any tests…be creative.  Think of how you like to learn and use various techniques.                  

-Angie

Ask students lots of leading questions, rather than give them answers.  Try to create as much class discussion as possible.  If the students are going to give group/oral presentations, have them do it towards the middle of the semester or even the beginning of it.  I feel this might create an environment that more promotes classroom discussion.                         

-Aaron S.

Try to keep the class engaged.  If it is a long class, give breaks.  HAVE FUN!               

-Lindsay

Understand that there is common respect in a classroom.  You have to give respect to get respect.  Be clear in classroom what is expected on both sides.                                         

-Laura

Have good structure and be consistent; lay out your policies and grading standards at the beginning and stick to them.  Be able to relate to your students and make class fun and different.    

-Beth

Balance fun and humor with structure; makes for a more interesting course.                

-No name given

Challenge students early on to make sure they don’t slack-off the whole semester, then loosen up with easier stuff later once they’ve developed good habits.                             

-Chris

Give timely feedback on presentations and tests.

                          -Pat  

Make sure you explain the topics you are teaching in depth.  It makes it easier to understand and remember.  Try to relate to the students and their college lives because it will keep their interest and they will learn better.              

-Charles

Stick to your guns but have some fun with the students.  A good mix of fun and seriousness keeps the students interested in the class, and it will keep them coming back every day because they will want to know what is going to happen in class.                                              

-Aaron

Be fair and respectful with students and be lenient when possible.  Make them assume responsibility for their actions when they are wrong but don’t hold a grudge.  Be intense and enthusiastic.        

-No name given

Allow students to ask questions and be flexible enough to change teaching plan if it is obviously the students aren’t learning.         -Tim

Do not read power point slides and think you are teaching, use the slides as a start but then incorporate other material.  Use as many learning tools as possible because everyone learns differently.                              

-Heidi

Pretend you’re in the class with them and together you will fight to understand the material.  Otherwise you will be equated with the material (evil and difficult). 

-Joel

Take control, let the students know that you are the boss.  Make the expectations for your students high.  They may not like you at the time but you will gain their respect.                      

-Jacob

If you are a young and new teacher, realize that we are looking to you for education, not for you to be hip, cool, and our friend.  Friendly and approachable is good but there is also a line where respect from the students lies.      

-No name given

Get to know your students and ask them for feedback about what they like/need/expect in a teacher at this institution.          

-Jim

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