Underlearning and Overlearning |
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| Authors: | B Everard Blanchard |
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| Institution: | Plymouth Teachers College , USA |
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| Abstract: | Instructors often struggle to find the right balance of sternness and leniency with their students, especially in the beginning stages of their careers. An instructor who is too casual risks being overrun by students who do not take him or her seriously. The professor who is too strict might inadvertently thwart students’ creativity and stifle their potential success. The following commentary reflects my own journey to a balanced rapport with students in a university classroom setting. Over several years, my interactions with students have gone from overly formal to embarrassingly casual before finally settling somewhere in between. My experiences serve to help both novice as well as experienced educators hone their rapport with students to create an enriching classroom environment. Various studies have shown gains in student learning due to quality instructor/student relationships and the present commentary aims to aid instructors in finding a balanced and meaningful rapport with their students. In my endeavors, I have found a balance by showing students I can be an effective teacher while also showing them that I am human with a life outside of the classroom, just as they are. |
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| Keywords: | rapport instructor/student relationships language teaching |
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