Student Guide Corner

I have long asserted that the most important days of any semester are the 2-4 days immediately after the first test.  So many good things and so many bad things can happen in this short period of time. They can make the semester more wonderful or they can ruin the semester.  It is the point where the group is of no importance but the individuals are of maximum importance. Because of the importance of this period, I have started (as of this semester) doing two things.   I sent my students the following email immediately after their first test with the subject line �Please Read.�   I want to get their attention.   Then, a couple of days later when I get ready to return the graded exams, I take the first 5-10 minutes of class time to talk with them about my view of the learning process.   I will describe that talk in my next blog posting in a few days. Email to my students: I have not looked at the test yet but I will try to get an answer s...

My classes for this coming semester will start one week from today.   One of my classes will be an introductory course with 24 freshmen.   I want to make sure those students are clear about what I want from them.   So, I sent them an email today and I tried to explain things as best I could.   I want to inspire them without seeming silly.   I want to challenge them without scaring them.  Here (in part) is what I wrote to these 24 freshmen: �Over the past few weeks, you should have received quite a bit of stuff from me by email.  Read it all.  Think about it.  I want the coming semester to be absolutely great for you.  I want this to be the best educational experience you�ve ever had.   I want you to learn more than you ever thought possible. �I like to make things crystal clear.  Things simply go better if you understand what I expect from you and why.  As I mentioned in one of my emails, I wi...

BE DARING Over the years, I have met a lot of good students.   I have met far fewer great students.   Over the years, I have met a lot of good teachers.   I have met far fewer great teachers. Occasionally, students swing by my office to ask how they can become great college students.   They feel that they are good, probably even very good.   But, they know they are not great.   At least, they are not yet great. Occasionally, emails arrive from teachers around the country who ask about becoming great teachers.   They feel that they are good, probably even very good.   But they know they are not great.   At least, they are not yet great.   Of course, many people are interested in how to move from good to great.   Jim Collins has managed to earn a fortune by writing fascinating books about companies that make the transition.   I am more interested in people who succeed in...

As I have mentioned, I was involved with two panel discussions recently at the annual meeting of the American Accounting Association.    At one point, I was asked about the best teaching advice that I ever received.    Over a 44 year period, everyone hears a lot of good teaching advice (and some bad advice also).    Deciding which advice is best can be a challenge.    But, my mind always goes back to something my boss told me during the first year I was teaching.    The advice came at a time when I was struggling to figure out who I wanted to be as a teacher.    Those first few years are so important because they form the structure on which a teacher builds an entire career. One day the head of the business program was talking with me about teaching.    He looked at me and said �If you truly care about these students, you will push them as hard as you can to be great.�    There was a lot that I liked about ...

My next set of classes starts on Monday, August 24.   However, I emailed my students their first assignment back on April 28.   I did not want them to waste their summer.   More importantly, I wanted to start having a positive influence on them as soon as possible.   The assignment had several parts culminating in their writing a short essay on the characteristics of a great student.   I just wanted them to think about what that meant.   I�ll write more about the results of that assignment during the fall when I see whether it had any impact on the students. Today, though, I want to give you an assignment to complete before your fall semester begins.   When I put on teaching presentations, I often begin by instructing my audience to do the following exercise.  Standing in front of all those teachers, I ask every person to close their eyes.   (I always warn them that they cannot fall asleep.)  ...

Prior to today, this blog has had 204 entries.   Over the years, the site has had over 134,500 page views (or roughly 650 views of each of those entries).   As always, thanks to everyone who passes along this link to other teachers who are interested in thinking more deeply about the day to day rewards and challenges of going into a classroom to help students develop and grow as human beings.   Thanks!!! ** A few weeks ago my dean sent me a note containing a simple question:   Can anyone learn to become a great teacher?   Unfortunately, I did not have a great answer and did little more than ramble around in response.   It is a question that I have thought about often during the intervening weeks.   Is it possible for anyone to develop into a great teacher or is that goal only available to a chosen few? What do you think?  If you have thoughts, I would love to hear them. Let me start the conversation by asking a d...

If you have followed this blog for long, you know that one of my primary recommendations is that every teacher should work to get 5 percent better every year.   If all of us could manage to improve by just 5 percent during the next 12 months, imagine how much more effective our educational system would become.   I think 5 percent is a realistic goal.   It would not take radical change.   If every teacher truly pushed for a 5 percent improvement, our schools and students would benefit in unbelievable ways. As we start each new year, I like to step back and think about how I might achieve my 5 percent improvement.   This is my 44 th year as a college professor and I am no longer a young person.   However, if I am not willing to push myself to improve, then it is probably time for me to retire.   Because I really do not want to retire, I am actively working on my 5 percent. Are you? As I mentioned in an earlier blog entr...

This will be my 201 st entry on this blog.   That is roughly 190 more than I expected to write when I first began.    Over the years, the blog has had 130,000 page views and was recently named one of the top 50 blogs in accounting for 2014.    ( http://www.accounting-degree.org/50-best-accounting-blogs-of-2014/ )     Unfortunately, it was the only blog on the list that dealt with education.    I would honestly love to be reading 50 different blogs about teaching and learning.     At that point, I think college education could really begin to improve.    So, start a blog.    Share your opinions.    Share your questions.    Share your doubts.    Share your frustrations.    We need more of that.    You will never be able to estimate how much the blogging process can improve your own teaching until you start typing and posting. As always, I want to pass al...