The Skillful Teacher

Build a Case for Learning
Because as teachers we see clearly the value of learning, we all too
easily assume students can see this too. The reason why certain
understandings or skills are important is so obvious to us that we
may feel they need minimal justification. Nothing could be further
from the truth. You should never be too proud to say why in your
view it’s important for students to learn something. Although the
first class alumni panel will do a much more convincing job (at least
in the eyes of new students) of justifying why learning is necessary,
that doesn’t mean you don’t need to address this too. As much as
you can, try to describe the benefits you believe learning brings in
terms that make sense to students—using language, examples, and
reasons that are familiar to them. When it’s appropriate, a simula-
tion held early on in a course can make an effective case for new
learning. If the simulation is one the students recognize as credible,
and if it’s clear that the only satisfactory way out of it is for the 
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student to learn something she does not know already, then the sim-
ulation builds the case for learning. It might also be possible to take
students to a location outside the classroom where the desired skills
or understandings are clearly being put to good use.