Celebrate Halloween season with the Center for Teaching by checking out these scary teaching and learning “tricks” and taking a closer look at the reality behind these myths. We’ll even include some “treats” to support your teaching practice.
Trick #1: “The Born Teacher.”
This myth argues that some people are born teachers and some are not, and that the best teachers just have the right mix of knowledge, charisma, and stage presence to fully engage students.
Reality: Teaching is a complex skill that one learns over time through a combination of experience, ongoing critical reflection, and professional development. Learning to teach effectively can include:
- Frequently checking in on personal practice using pertinent evidence (Brookfield 20172).
- Engaging with research literature about course design, teaching practice, and how learning works (see, for example, DiPietro et. al. 20101).
- Forming a community with other instructors (this may include peer observations, joining a Center for Teaching faculty learning community, or just chatting with a friend about teaching).
- Connecting with a Center for Teaching staff member who can be a thought partner.
Treat: This Chronicle of Higher Education article goes into additional detail about why we shouldn’t believe in born teachers.
Trick #2: “Being rigorous means I need to fail some students.”
This myth suggests that academic rigor requires creating difficult conditions in which only a few students deserve to achieve the highest outcomes. This myth can also suggest that providing students with support and flexibility means your course is less academically rigorous.
Reality: Rigor might mean different things in different contexts, but in general, a rigorous course expects that all students can succeed at high levels, master complex ideas, and set and reach goals and gives each student the tools to do so. This does not entail lowering our expectations for students: just the opposite! (see, for example, McGurk, J., & Brooks 20214 or Feldman 20183).
Treat: This chapter from our Handbook for Teaching Excellence shares insights on setting transparent goals and course design. Another chapter from our UDL handbook explicitly discusses how to think about rigor with an inclusive mindset.
Trick #3: “Aligning learning styles to support students.”
This persistent myth suggests that each individual student has a particular learning style, and when material is presented in a way that conforms with that style, they do better.
Reality: Learning styles are a neuromyth. There is no conclusive evidence that when teachers use methods that conform to students’ self-identified learning styles, they achieve better outcomes. In fact, when students self-identify as a particular kind of learner (e.g. visual), they may not engage as fully with non-visual materials, losing out on learning opportunities. Using a mix of teaching methods is generally beneficial for all students.
Treat: Check out this longer-form article on learning styles written by Center for Teaching staff.
Although we’ve just outlined three scary learning myths and tricks, we do have strong evidence that faculty development improves teaching and learning. Connect with the Center for Teaching to learn more about how we can partner with you to help you meet your teaching goals with evidence-based strategies: teaching@uiowa.edu.
Citations
1Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M. C., & Norman, M. K. (2010). How learning works: Seven research-based principles for smart teaching. Jossey-Bass.
2Brookfield, S. D. (2017). Becoming a critically reflective teacher (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
3Feldman, J. (2018). Grading for equity: What it is, why it matters, and how it can transform schools and classrooms. Corwin Press.
4McGurk, J., & Brooks, J. (2021, November 8–17). Rigor as inclusive practice: Beyond deficit models [Paper presentation]. Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher Education 46th Annual Conference.