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。 Post on the blackboard your course title； the course number； and your name。 Also note on the
board： “Please look over the syllabus； we will discuss it at the end of the class hour。”
。 Arrange to have the syllabus distributed at the entrance to the classroom； with extra copies
available at the front and rear of the room。
。 Do not begin the course with a proclamation of the usual details about course organization。
These details are in the syllabus。
。 Avoid the “Psychology Is a Science” routine； so typical in many first classes。 It makes you
defensive； often antagonizes some “hard science” majors； and is unnecessary。 Students should
discover the scientific foundations of psychology through their reading and your general
exposition。
For a demonstration to be especially suitable for the first class； it should be intrinsically intriguing； require
no advance knowledge by students； and be a take…off point for introducing some of the basic questions of
psychology。 Several of the demonstrations suggested in the Experiments and Demonstrations section of
this manual fit these criteria。
iii
KEEP ANTICIPATING YOUR NEEDS
GUEST LECTURERS
Contact a guest seven to ten days before his or her presentation date。 Send written confirmation of the date；
time； topic； and directions to the classroom if needed。 Speak to the guest personally： Ask about equipment
needs and for ments for your introduction。 Provide the guest with a copy of the syllabus； an idea of
what you have covered related to the topic； the level of sophistication of the class； and any special
classroom procedures you follow。 Announcements of visitors expected to be of general interest should be
posted for your colleagues’ information as well。
DEMONSTRATIONS
The major virtue of a demonstration or class experiment lies in making one point； or a few points； in a vivid；
memorable form。 Other virtues are generating greater class interest with a more varied format； seeing
psychology in action； and building up a reserve of “can’t miss” demonstrations you can rely on term after
term。 Nevertheless； the first time out； demonstrations take lots of planning and time。 All demonstrations
should be tried at least once before you attempt them in class； if possible； they should be practiced several
times。 This is the only way to accurately gauge the time you need； anticipate operational difficulties； and get
the feel of introducing the demonstration； making transitions； and concluding it。 For demonstrations that
are time…consuming or demanding； videotape them so next time you are set to go through with the show if
something goes amiss in the live act。
LECTURES
Lectures should be drafted in final form several days before they are to be delivered so that you can revise
them as the ideas revolve in your mind。 Lectures read verbatim are almost inevitably deadly boring。 Never
read a lecture； unless you can read like Dylan Thomas。
OUTLINES
Draw up an outline on the evening or morning before the lecture date and speak from that outline； carrying
the full notes in your briefcase for reference and a sense of security。 If duplicating facilities are adequate； it is
helpful to distribute copies of your outline to the students as they enter the room。 Otherwise； you may want
to write the outline on the board or display it by overhead projection。 Teachers who use an overhead
projector regularly during their lectures may keep their outline visible throughout； projecting it via a second
overhead projector on one side of the screen。 Speaking from your outline encourages spontaneity of
expression and natural nonverbal interaction with your students； while making the outline available to
students in advance allows them to attend to the content of your presentation without simultaneously
attempting to tease out its structure。 It is also a helpful gift to students who must miss a class or leave early
and so is appreciated by all。 Writing the outline in advance also forces you to be organized and to avoid
last…minute rushes。 When you cannot prepare an outline in advance； distribute one the next session。
AUDIT OTHER PSYCHOLOGY COURSES
If there is an introductory psychology course in progress in the term before yours； sit in on it periodically。
See how the teacher launches the course； handles testing and evaluation； and deals with disturbances。
What might you do to get the same positive results but avoid any negative ones you observe？ Try to get a
sense of the time involved in routine events such as distributing and collecting papers； especially if the class
is about the size you expect your own to be。 Sit in the back of the room while a class is in session in the room
you will be using to find out how the acoustics are and to see how large your writing on the chalkboard
must be in order to be clearly legible to those in the last row。 Review student course evaluations to learn
what teaching qualities are viewed as desirable by administrators and students。 Talk to other introductory
iv
psychology teachers about their experiences。 Your interest will be highly rewarding to your colleagues； and
the advice you receive may be invaluable to you。 Find out from students or colleagues who are the “star”
teachers in your department。 Visit some of their classes to perform your own analysis of what they are doing
that works so well。 Consider what you might adopt or adapt from their general style or specific performance
ponents。
STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSFUL TEACHING
There is no single ideal teaching style； many styles can lead to the same positive educational outes。 The
best style for you in a given teaching situation is not necessarily the one you feel most fortable using at
first。 The style must allow you to achieve your teaching objectives； considering the course you are teaching
and the kind of students in your class。 A shy； introspective manner may work well in a small seminar of
advanced students； it will not get far in a large lecture hall filled with lower…level students。
TEACHING METHODS
The key to effective delivery of your message is variation。 Although lecturing continues to be the most
mon teaching method； it is most effective in small doses； particularly if you are not an outstanding
performer。 Other methods include discussion； demonstration； films and other audiovisual resources； group
projects； experiments； and written or oral exercises。 Keep in mind that any of these approaches can be
bined。 For example； team teaching certain lectures with a colleague from your department or another
department； or giving a mini…lecture in a discussion section。
TRADITIONAL LECTURE SYSTEM
You give two or three lectures per week with an occasional film； demonstration； group activity； or guest
speaker。 Examinations are taken in class and cover both lecture and text content。 You provide some new
information； extend text materials； and serve as a model of enthusiasm for the subject matter。 If you cannot
at least role…play being enthusiastic about psychology in general； do not lecture in the traditional form。 This
format also demands an effective “acting…delivery” style； you must be on your “power spot” when up on the
stage； or else do not choose to be a traditional lecturer。 In a large class； teachers are often bothered by the
impersonality of the setting。 This is especially the case if the teacher lectures from a stage that creates both a
physical and a psychological separation between the lecturer…as…performer and the students…as…audience。
TEAM TEACHING
Pair up with a colleague whose interests and strengths plement yours and teach the course in tandem。
This is especially advisable for new teachers because the day…to…day workload is shared； it can be exciting
to brainstorm about teaching； and you can arrange for feedback。
DISCUSSION SECTIONS
In lecture settings； the lecturer takes control and usually runs with the ball most of the period。 In small
discussion sections （from 10 to 30 students）； the instructor willingly surrenders much of the control。 The
discussion section is a means of providing information； usually in an informal manner； with ample time
allowed for questions； answers； demonstrations； and role…playing。 The discussion leader involves the
students in decisions about the direction of the course and how they can help to implement course
objectives。 Discussion sections can be valuable sources of intellectual； effective stimulation for both teacher
and student when they are well designed。 One variation is to bine the lecture format with a once…weekly
class session devoted to student…led discussion about the current topic。
v
UNIT MASTERY SYSTEM
In the unit mastery system； lectures may be optional or given as special features； with the grade dependent
solely on pletion of all quizzes at or beyond the mastery level。 The major features of this system are：
。 Students progress through course assignments at their own pace。
。 Instead of mass testing at prefixed lecture times； each student es to a testing center
whenever he or she is ready to take a particular exam。