Page 11 - Learner Centered Teaching

Teaching Strategies

Strategies for gauging

 Ask yourself why you teach the way that you do. Which elements of your

teaching best encourage active learning?

 Assess your course design. What does your syllabus say about your role and

the expectations for students?

 Critically analyze the effectiveness of your teaching style in facilitating

learning. Which aspects teach students how to learn, and which only

information on what to learn?

 When breaking up students into discussion groups, avoid the urge to correct.

Discussion groups can provide space for students to teach and learn together,

but only if you allow them to do so.

Strategies for engaging

 ‘Un-stage a revolution’. Move away from the ‘Sage on the Stage’ model.

Mentor students (individually or in groups) to learn through teaching. Teach

new concepts and then have students reinforce their learning (and their

classmates) by having them teach it in a new way (through imagery, a short

presentation, or uploading and sharing an academic article).

 Be in your classroom. Walk around the classroom and see learning from

students’ perspectives.

 Create learning circles where students are encouraged to ask questions. Let
other students have the first chance to answer those questions!

 Teach at students’ level. Literally. Sit down to teach, or ask them to stand for

part of the class.