Because Ideas Matter...
The faculty and staff of Butler University's College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences presents
Recommended Readings
What the Best
College Teachers Do
by Ken Bain, Harvard University Press, 2004
Reviewed by Liliana Torres-Goens
What do you recall about your favorite
college teachers? Ken Bain researched the strategies of some
of the very best college teachers in the country and found that
what they had in common was a reflective approach to teaching which
more effectively facilitates student learning. I found
his work and the approach to teaching described to be fascinating
and engaging. The core concept outlines how teachers
should develop a student-centered learning approach, where emphasis
is placed on the students and their needs, rather than on extensive
lesson plans and unreachable course goals. The book was
recognized by Harvard University Press when it was the awarded
"Virginia and Warren Stone Prize".
Bain explains that this learning process needs to be insightful
so that creating a lasting impact on students is the ultimate
goal. Classroom environments should be respectful and
trusting while allowing for the student to be the primary emphasis
of the class. Teachers should foster critical thinking, reasoning
skills and self evaluation methods to demonstrate to the students
the relevance of what they are learning. Allowing them
to judge the quality of their work is imperative to them developing
an appreciation for their own learning.
This book, a product of years of research in universities and
colleges, contains examples of teachers who will remind you of your
favorite college professors and why they were so important for your
learning.
"What the Best College Teachers Do" is a
book that will is helpful to college teachers, but also insight for
current and former college students. It will remind you of
those teachers who made a difference in your life..
- Liliana Torres-Goens is Instructor of Spanish at Butler
University.