Ten Rules for Effective Teaching

As a teacher of computers and computer science for many years, I feel I can list the ten most important rules for teaching. They may not apply to all forms of teaching but you may find them useful in what you are teaching or aspire to teach. The rules that follow are not in any special order. They are all important. You are the one who determines which are the most important at any given moment.

1 Know the material. You need to fully understand at least twice as much as you plan to teach. The more you know the better.

2. Have a good command of the English language. You can't afford to be vague about what you'll be telling students. A sound knowledge of words will help you select exactly the right words for various occasions. Further, this knowledge will allow you to use alternate words to explain the same topic/s.

3. Know your students' names. Make this a personal experience for students. Have them understand that they are real persons to you, not just faces in an audience.

4. Learn, at least, a little of what your students already know about the subject and why they are taking your course.

5. Present material at about one-third the speed that you might, at first, believe is needed. What you are saying is new to students. They require a little extra time for the material to sink in.

6. Know what your students already know about your topic. Begin at a point that is comfortable to at least ninety percent of your audience. Define or review terms you will be teaching as you introduce them.

7. Repeat important points frequently. Use words different from the ones you used the first time. Use easy-to-understand examples to illustrate important points.

8. Watch your students faces to ensure that they are understanding what you're saying. Listen to yourself as you speak to decide whether you, yourself, would understand you. If you see puzzled looks, back off, resume at some point where students rejoin you.

9. Be open to questions. Questions often reveal something you may have not explained or may not have explained well enough.

10. Exercise patience. Never show annoyance over someone who is not understanding or is not understanding readily enough. There is nothing worse that can break the morale of a student than to be thought of as being slow.