The Counselor as TeacherThe Counselor as Teacher

Jim Pierce, MDJim Pierce, MD

June 30, 2005June 30, 2005

Learning to be a TeacherLearning to be a Teacher

Have you ever had a teacher who was:Have you ever had a teacher who was:

So good that you changed your career path?So good that you changed your career path? So bad that you felt dumber after the class?So bad that you felt dumber after the class? So clear that you finally understood?So clear that you finally understood? So lost that you stopped going to class?So lost that you stopped going to class?

Learning to be a TeacherLearning to be a Teacher

But that leaves us wondering:But that leaves us wondering:

How do we learn how to teach?How do we learn how to teach?

Today’s GoalsToday’s Goals

What do professional educators “do?”What do professional educators “do?”

How can we learn from them?How can we learn from them?

How did we start learning from them?How did we start learning from them?

What is the plan of this course?What is the plan of this course? “ “The Counselor as Teacher”The Counselor as Teacher”

Learning to be a TeacherLearning to be a Teacher

There are two kinds of “educators”There are two kinds of “educators”

Professional EducatorsProfessional Educators

Professors who become EducatorsProfessors who become Educators

Learning to be a TeacherLearning to be a Teacher

Professional Educators:Professional Educators:

Complete training in Subject MatterComplete training in Subject MatterComplete more training in EducationComplete more training in EducationComplete “apprenticeship” in EducationComplete “apprenticeship” in EducationComplete “supervised” TeachingComplete “supervised” Teaching

Become a TeacherBecome a Teacher

Learning to be a TeacherLearning to be a Teacher

Professors who become Educators:Professors who become Educators:

Complete training in Subject MatterComplete training in Subject Matter Skip a training lecture on being a TASkip a training lecture on being a TA Complete a post-doc in Subject MatterComplete a post-doc in Subject Matter Don’t practice teaching at allDon’t practice teaching at all Become faculty in Subject MatterBecome faculty in Subject Matter

Are assigned to teach a classAre assigned to teach a class

Learning to be a TeacherLearning to be a Teacher

This system produced both This system produced both High quality secondary school teachersHigh quality secondary school teachersThe occasional Dr. FeynmanThe occasional Dr. Feynman

Unfortunately, it lacked consistencyUnfortunately, it lacked consistencyProfessional Educators had Professional Educators had

limited training in subject matterlimited training in subject matterProfessors had limited (or no) Professors had limited (or no)

training in educationtraining in education

Learning to be a TeacherLearning to be a Teacher

The first major changes occurred in The first major changes occurred in Professional Schools (Law, Medicine …)Professional Schools (Law, Medicine …)

The whole purpose of attending a The whole purpose of attending a professional school is to:professional school is to:

Learn a TradeLearn a Trade

There is no point in wasting time with bad teachers

Learning to be a TeacherLearning to be a Teacher

Professional Educators joined ProfessorsProfessional Educators joined Professors

Professional grade curricula were madeProfessional grade curricula were madeEffective Syllabi and Teaching materials Effective Syllabi and Teaching materials

were assembledwere assembledProfessors were taught how to teachProfessors were taught how to teach

(whether they liked it or not!)(whether they liked it or not!)

Learning to be a TeacherLearning to be a Teacher

This spawned “daughter courses”This spawned “daughter courses”

It was increasingly recognized that middle It was increasingly recognized that middle level trainees who were on their way to level trainees who were on their way to “professorship” were teaching assistants “professorship” were teaching assistants and responsible for teachingand responsible for teaching

Thus, the “Resident as Teacher” and Thus, the “Resident as Teacher” and “Post-doc as Teacher” classes“Post-doc as Teacher” classes

Learning to be a TeacherLearning to be a Teacher

Thus, a new field of education was born:Thus, a new field of education was born:

Academic ScienceAcademic Science

Academic ScienceAcademic Science

Academic science is a rigorous fieldAcademic science is a rigorous field

Doctorate level researchers obtain grantsDoctorate level researchers obtain grantsThey teach and teach how to teach They teach and teach how to teach

different levels of “non-educators”different levels of “non-educators”They assess outcomesThey assess outcomesThey assess the assessment toolsThey assess the assessment toolsThey write papers about itThey write papers about it

Academic ScienceAcademic Science

Example Topics:Example Topics:

Does the SAT effectively evaluate average Does the SAT effectively evaluate average students? Exceptional students? Poor students? Exceptional students? Poor students?students?

Does the US Medical Licensing Exam Does the US Medical Licensing Exam appropriately identify people who know appropriately identify people who know enough to become a doctor?enough to become a doctor?

Academic ScienceAcademic Science

Example Topics:Example Topics:

Is teaching surgeons using Low-Fi models as Is teaching surgeons using Low-Fi models as effective as High-Fi models? Should we use effective as High-Fi models? Should we use animals for training?animals for training?

What is the most effective way to build a Law What is the most effective way to build a Law School curriculum? What is the most effective School curriculum? What is the most effective way to evaluate whether the curriculum is way to evaluate whether the curriculum is working or not?working or not?

Learning to be a TeacherLearning to be a Teacher

Key Message:Key Message:

There are professional educatorsThere are professional educatorsThey are very good at what they doThey are very good at what they doThere is a growing body of evidenceThere is a growing body of evidence

You can harness these educators and You can harness these educators and their knowledge to be a Better Teachertheir knowledge to be a Better Teacher

Learning to be a TeacherLearning to be a Teacher

What can we learn from them?What can we learn from them? There are many levels to what they teachThere are many levels to what they teach

To be a good teacherTo be a good teacher You need specific skills (Speaking, writing, You need specific skills (Speaking, writing,

homework making)homework making) You need managerial skills (TA supervising, You need managerial skills (TA supervising,

Office running, Letter Office running, Letter writing)writing)

You need integration skills (Building a syllabus, You need integration skills (Building a syllabus, a course, a major, a degree)a course, a major, a degree)

Learning to be a TeacherLearning to be a Teacher

The two ways to effectively use a The two ways to effectively use a professional educator areprofessional educator are

1) Learn a skill through a one-on-one 1) Learn a skill through a one-on-one session, class, or coursesession, class, or course

2) Collaborate and allow them to evaluate 2) Collaborate and allow them to evaluate your “educational product”your “educational product”

Goals for our CourseGoals for our Course

Learn about Professional EducatorsLearn about Professional Educators

Learn specific skillsLearn specific skills

Practice by teachingPractice by teaching

Goals for our CourseGoals for our Course

Learn Specific SkillsLearn Specific Skills

Planning Educational Goals for a class or labPlanning Educational Goals for a class or labDesigning a Course OutlineDesigning a Course OutlineMake a Lab ManualMake a Lab ManualMake a Course PowerpointMake a Course PowerpointGive a LectureGive a LectureMake a Homework assignmentMake a Homework assignmentGive FeedbackGive Feedback

Learning to be a TeacherLearning to be a Teacher

Any Questions?Any Questions?