What is good teaching?

[Bruce Kirkcaldy]

I am curently completing preparations for a book chapter and a workshop for educational and medical professionals on "What are the characteristics of a good teacher?". Indeed a variant of this question is "What characterises good therapy and/or teaching?" "What similarities or differences are found between effective teachers and therapists?"

I would be pleased to have any comments or ideas of any kind which may be useful. This could include suggestions of relevant empoirical studies in the area, anecdotal accounts concerning one's own educational experiences, etc. The more suggestions the merrier!
Bruce

[Stephen Lankton]

Bruce,
I would like to commend you on a GREAT topic.
I also want to submit a person to you for your further investigation.
Lyn Yexley has just completed her PhD thesis on a similar topic. She interviewed me and many others and has great insight that will probably aid you both in bibliography and conception.

She is at: lynyexley@msn.com

Good luck,
Steve Lankton

[Bruce Kirkcaldy]

Dear Steve,

Thanks for the "connection". Ive since had a detailled reply from Lyn. I always appreciate colleagues who respond so quickly to help. Essentially to date, judging from the meta-analyses and our own small pilot study, the core qualities of a judge teacher would seem to overlap considerably with those of a good therapist (hardly surprising I suppose!). It does seem to matter whether we look at the perceptions of students or teachers, and then the educational context e.g. primary and/or secondary school, undergraduate or graduate teaching.
As always, best wishes, Bruce

[Jim Stephens]

Stephen and Bruce and Others,

My friends who have formally studied teaching describe their "learning about teaching" as consisting in large part of learning about ways to decipher and "utilize" people's various learning styles. To your understanding(s), what are some of the ways that Dr. Erickson distinguished between patients' learning styles or habitual/preferred ways of learning (formal interviews, trancework, responses to assignments, etc)? What were the kinds of distinctions he typically made (visual/auditory, global/linear, etc)? In what ways did he utilize patients' learning styles (type of homework, specifics of trance induction, etc)? In what ways would he treat patients differently depending on their habitual ways of learning?

How would you answer these questions for your own ways of doing therapy and teaching?

Jim Stephens

[Bruce Kirkcaldy]

Ive almost finished the review for my presentation of a good teacher. I have found a nice citation for the opening powerpoint. I think it applies equally well to therapists and teachers. I was told that it originally was a quote by William A. Ward.
The mediocre teacher tells.
The good teacher explains.
The superior teacher demonstrates.
The great teacher inspires.
When I look at meta-analyses of studies of effective teaching, the core qualities of good teachers seem to incorporate characteristics such as personality (intelligent, empathic and extraverted), enthusiasm, love of communication and socially skilled, structured sessions and time feedback (cf. Furnham). Added to these are a caring and deep feelings towards students(clients), knowledge of diverse teaching styles, bridge-builder (between family and school), helpful and supportive, entertaining style, humour, intrinsic pleasure in the teaching experience, flexible and experimenting (Rich; Brain).

[Stephen Lankton]

Bruce,
Thanks for the posting. It sounds like you've really got a handle on it now. Listing all these topics/areas it helpful to those of us to teach and do therapy. As you said, there is tremendous overlap.

[aklal2003]

The best discussion on the subject is at the Re-Designing Schools Confrence,
Shown on and available at Knowledgeworks section of Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation page accessible from Bill Gates Home Page. You can get a link to Bill Gates Home page by searching Google for Bill Gates,

The Main points brought up in the Confrence- shown as video -is (i) To have a good Education/School System, the critical element is a good Teacher.
To have agood teacher the school should provide necessary environment and follow teacher friendly policies, including building long term relationships with teacher-school, teacher- student duos. This means not frquent transfers. Provide fascilities for pre class preperations, and developing systems to promote student teache relationships. From the students point of view a good teacher is the one who takes them seriously, is interested in their learning, and commands respect by taking teaching seriously.
This is more important than than what you teach or how you teach.

[Bruce Kirkcaldy]

Dear "Author",

I appreciate all comments on this theme because they have helped me in prganising my own ideas, not only for teaching research but psychotherapy. I did indeed try finding the Bill Gates page. To be quite honest, judging by my experience with teachers, the position is more complex. I couldnt find the original contribution by Gates, but the idea that content and style are not that important would not seem to be consistent with what teachers and therapists are telling me.

Nevetheless thanks for your ideas. What is your name by the way? I think it is much nicer if I could respond by using your Christian name!