No. 18, December 2022.
When we talk about "style," what comes to mind is the theatrical part of teaching and not the substantive part. But if we are not connecting with the students, all of our efforts in preparation, in designing the discussion pastures, in the transitions from one pasture to another, can fall into awkward silences. What are the signs that our style is failing?
In a recent edition of "The Faculty Lounge," Patricia O'Brien-Richardson, associate professor of public policy at Rutgers University, lays out for us three signs that indicate "whether my teaching style is working well." And if it's not working well? Well, you can use the absence of these signals as an indicator that you need to modify your style.
The first signal is what O'Brien-Richardson calls "positive noise," which to her means active participation and discussions among students, with diverse opinions, "without fear of being judged." In a case method culture, there is little danger of silence; rather, the instructor's challenge is to manage the waves of raised hands and frequent interruptions. She does not pass judgment, but she can ask challenging follow-up questions.
You have to balance the comfort of "judgment-free zones" with the creative tension of rigorous debate, with opinions free but subject to the judgment-not of the instructor, but of your colleagues, the other members of the class.
The second sign is the approach of several students to the instructor at the end of the class, to make a comment, express an opinion or share an experience. This is a sign of interest in the subject and in the class. But time is very limited: there are just 15 to 20 minutes between sessions in schools that use the case method, and some instructors need what Jim Heskett calls "the sacred 10 minutes" after class for evaluation and reflection.
In order to expand the spaces for informal conversation with students, C. Roland Chrisensen of HBS would arrive 20 minutes before the start of class and for this reason, he always preferred to take the first class of the morning. The students knew this custom and many also arrived early.
O'Brian-Richardson's third signal is the growing relationship between groups of students, which indicates to her that "I have promoted spaces for students from different backgrounds to come together for their love of the subject matter." In schools where the case method predominates, this approach is institutionalized in the practice of organizing discussion groups among 7 or 8 students. "They need some way to connect," she says. "If it's difficult in the classroom, take them outside the classroom."
He is right. There was initial resistance when I announced that my negotiation course was going to meet for two hours and twenty minutes instead of the usual eighty minutes, but it ended up being the best evaluated, because of the diversity of venues: some dynamics were held in an auditorium; others in the hallways or outdoors. There was always (at least) an hour of small group work, but not always before the plenary, but as an integral part of the class.
Two reflections: first, although we instructors are always surrounded by students, we receive very little reliable feedback, and any indicator throughout the course is valuable. Second, everything is easier when one teaches cases where there is a student-centered learning culture.
