Student Guide Corner

  Professional photographers sometimes talk about the �decisive moment.�     It is that one essential point in time when the photo needs to be taken to capture the true essence of the events that are taking place and the people that are involved.     I strongly believe that there are decisive moments in teaching and learning.    If you make the most of those decisive moments, the students can learn much and learn deeply.    If you miss those moments, learning becomes more of a superficial affair. One such moment is immediately after the first test of the semester.    It is still early.    There is still plenty of time to make great things happen.    However, the students are all unsure as to whether they are doing enough to satisfy the teacher�s expectations.   If the first test is complex without being unfair, the teacher will have caught the students� attention.    �This is the kind of...

( disclaimer : the following views are entirely my own) In reviewing my twitter feed yesterday morning, I came across several articles objecting to "Ed Reform," (what does that term really mean in 2014?), high-stakes testing, Common Core and RTTT.  In reading the articles, it repeatedly struck me, none of this benefit kids . Isn't that the point of education - to benefit kids?  What if we simplified our local, state and national education agenda instead to state, "The mission of public education is to ensure all students graduate with a love for lifelong learning?' How would that change what is happening with educational policies? Immediately, we would have to do away with high-stakes testing . All the money going into the pockets of the "common core aligned" textbook, curriculum and testing publishers could be diverted to local schools to support whatever it takes to promote a love of learning. One term we hear repeated is evidence-based practice. How...

As I sit here working on this blog entry, the view out my window looks like a scene from the movie Doctor Zhivago. Hope it is warm and sunny wherever you are today. ** I gave my first introductory accounting exam yesterday (before the snow storm). Send me an email at jhoyle@richmond.edu if you would like a copy. I am not a fan of test banks but I do think professors should exchange their tests just to get ideas for what might work. One of my favorite blog entries is from January 31, 2010: �How You Test Is How They Will Learn.� ** Anyone who has read this blog for long already knows that I am not a fanatical user of modern technology. I have never once used Power Point in a class. Never. I do not allow computers to be open during class (too much temptation to play games or text message). I am more interested in what students can do with their minds than I am in what they can do with a computer. However, I do make extensive use of email. I am sure that some ...

In schools, it is about the tools. Are you intentional about your tool choices. Do your students get a say? When they have trouble writing their ideas because of difficulty forming letters legibly and you  only offer paper and pencil, you may be preventing many learners from demonstrating what they know . Some students have difficulty with spelling and their printed word choices don't reflect their vocabulary. (You've said it, "They have great ideas, but they can't get them on paper.") So do you insist that the students in your classroom continue to show you what they know with paper and pencil and worksheets and packets? Do you realize you may be inhibiting their learning? When you choose to use an interactive whiteboard and do not record the video from your lesson you may be preventing students from learning.  When they need repetition and review and all you do is repeat your instruction verbally, you may be preventing students from being in control of their le...

Education is highly criticized these days for (a) costing too much and (b) achieving too little.    And, if we are perfectly honest, those criticisms are not just idle chatter.    I have long argued that much of college education is not radically different than what I experienced when I started as a college freshman 47 1/2 years ago.    (Okay, we do have PowerPoint now and teachers did not have that back in 1966, but I am not sure if that is progress or regression.)    The world has changed radically over those decades but a lot of education has barely flinched. I believe that there is not enough innovation in education.    Think of the sheer number of teachers working in the United States.    Why are there not more innovative ideas flowing from those minds?     If each teacher came up with one innovative idea, the world of education would be radically transformed almost immediately.    We would be fl...

  After a sabbatical semester, I am back in the classroom.    It is interesting to be away for 8 months and then walk in to face young faces again.    In the first week, I try to do as I always do:    Set the tone that I want for the entire semester.    I see no reason to wait to say �this is how I want the semester to go.�    During the first class, in different words on several different occasions, I explained exactly how I wanted the class to operate.    I always believe that it goes better if you are very open with the students and clear on your goals and expectations.  I think, for the most part, students rise to a challenge if they are convinced that the benefit is real. �During this semester, I will devise weird situations each day and then I will guide you as you figure out proper responses.    We�ll make lots of mistakes along the way but if we work hard we�ll eventually get to good, firm, logic...

  I am delighted to report that last week this blog went over 100,000 page views since its inception.    That is certainly a dream come true for me.     Many thanks to everyone who has been kind enough over the years to mention this blog to all of the teachers around you.    As a new year begins, please continue to let people in the education profession know that I try to post my thoughts on teaching 2 or 3 times each month.    Thanks!!! ** About 10 days ago, I released my new book on Amazon:    Don�t Just Dream about Success:    Stack the Odds in Your Favor .    As the title clearly implies, I believe that everyone can become more successful more of the time by following certain tactics.    Proceeds from the sale of this book go to finance CPA review for FREE, the website ( www.CPAreviewforFREE.com ) where candidates can prepare to pass the CPA exam without having to spend a fortune.    I sim...