Today's fun teaching moments
Jan. 31st, 2020 02:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rebeccmeisterA student made me pause in lecture today when they asked, "Wait...what do you mean by 'non-bird reptiles?'"
That led to me launching into a lengthy explanation of the fact that birds and reptiles share a recent-enough common ancestor that, for our purposes, they're phylogenetically grouped. (with brief mention of feathered dinosaurs)
It was one of those classic teaching moments where I got to enjoy the "Mind...blown." reaction, heh.
Meanwhile: Now that I actually have a round of teaching our college's Scientific Writing course under my belt, it has become SO MUCH EASIER to walk students through what they need to think about and do for writing their first lab report for Animal Physiology. Basically, I now know what I can expect them to already know.
That means we get to have more fun conversations. Well, scientifically fun: "So, what do you think it might mean if people show the same kind of circulatory response to having their hands dipped in warm water, compared to having their hands dipped in cool water?"
"So if this hypothesis isn't supported, what's next? Should we repeat the experiment? Do something differently? What have other people discovered?"
The effort that went into creating the writing resource packet was totally worth it.
That led to me launching into a lengthy explanation of the fact that birds and reptiles share a recent-enough common ancestor that, for our purposes, they're phylogenetically grouped. (with brief mention of feathered dinosaurs)
It was one of those classic teaching moments where I got to enjoy the "Mind...blown." reaction, heh.
Meanwhile: Now that I actually have a round of teaching our college's Scientific Writing course under my belt, it has become SO MUCH EASIER to walk students through what they need to think about and do for writing their first lab report for Animal Physiology. Basically, I now know what I can expect them to already know.
That means we get to have more fun conversations. Well, scientifically fun: "So, what do you think it might mean if people show the same kind of circulatory response to having their hands dipped in warm water, compared to having their hands dipped in cool water?"
"So if this hypothesis isn't supported, what's next? Should we repeat the experiment? Do something differently? What have other people discovered?"
The effort that went into creating the writing resource packet was totally worth it.
no subject
Date: 2020-01-31 10:31 pm (UTC)I admit that, despite training in the right field, that that I would probably ask as well.
Now that I actually have a round of teaching our college's Scientific Writing course under my belt, it has become SO MUCH EASIER to walk students through what they need to think about
Excellent!
I've read a number of times that teachers spend their first year or two randomly flailing because of the difficulties of curiculum development and understanding student needs and expectations.
no subject
Date: 2020-01-31 10:41 pm (UTC)THIS year I know how to take care of the reptiles (for the most part) and I can re-use the majority of the above materials.
no subject
Date: 2020-01-31 11:03 pm (UTC):)