Student Guide Corner

This blog went over 45,000 page views (since its inception) this past Monday. As I wish I could do every day, I want to thank everyone who passes along a word to friends and colleagues about the blog. Obviously, there would be no page views at all without you folks. I firmly believe that we need more conversation about teaching, learning, and education if we are going to solve the problems of our world. I appreciate your helping my blog to be a part of that conversation. ** Here are my previous four favorite quotes about teaching: �The process of learning is asking sharper and sharper questions." �The real purpose of books is to trap the mind into doing its own thinking.� �Figure it out.� �If you think your teacher is tough, wait until you have a boss.� I think those four quotes are very insightful and have led me to think more deeply about my own classes. However, the quote for today goes beyond that � it is one that has had a genuine impact on my own teaching. I d...

One of my former students recently earned her Ph. D. and is starting her career as a college professor. My favorite students have always been those who have become teachers. She taught her first classes this past Thursday. What an exciting time � walking into class for the first time as a member of the university�s faculty. She dropped me a note and mentioned that she wanted her students to talk more than they did in the first class. Most of us seek more interactive education. Students, though, often prefer to sit, listen, take notes, and memorize. That is a less demanding approach to learning. Plus, it is a system that our students have probably experienced often during their years in school. Below is my response to this new faculty member. ** Here�s one piece of fatherly advice that I would offer, especially if you want to get your students talking more. You may actually remember this strategy from when you were in my class as an undergraduate. Always use a seatin...

Just a quick post to share two iPad Resources I've been working on. Check out this constantly updated Google Doc that lists Free Apps for Educators. Here's a wiki resource that I use during professional development workshops. Please feel free to use and share.

I started a new semester last week. Last night, at the end of that first week, I sent the following email to my students. Now that they see what we are doing, I want them to understand my goals. I want them to see what I am trying to accomplish. I want them to believe that the work that I am asking them to do is worth the effort. To achieve your ambitions, your students have to buy into the process. If they do the work just because they are scared of you or your tests, the amount they can achieve is truly limited. To: Accounting Students From: JH Okay, you�ve had my class now for a week. It is obviously a different approach. Some people like it and some people hate it. I can live with that. But, I do want you to understand what I�m trying to do. I think you�ll do better if you see what my goals are. I realize that you are more used to lecture and memorization and may not even see what benefit comes from what we are doing. If you have a free ten minutes this w...

Before I write about my next favorite quote about teaching, I have a quick announcement. I know that a lot of the folks who read this blog teach accounting. As most of you probably know, I am the coauthor of an Advanced Accounting textbook (McGraw-Hill) and an Introduction to Financial Accounting textbook (Flat World Knowledge). Over the past 6-8 months, I have spent an incredible amount of time helping to create the second edition of the Financial Accounting textbook (with C.J. Skender of UNC). That second edition will be coming out in the next 4-5 weeks. The book was very successful in the first edition but (as you might imagine) I�d love to increase that adoption rate for the second edition. We didn�t make any huge changes but we must have made 1,000 small tweaks. I was pleased with the first edition but I�m truly ecstatic about the second. I know it is a clich� but we set out to build a better mousetrap. For example, it is the only Socratic Method textbook that you ...