Adapted with permission from “Science Teaching Reconsidered: A Handbook” (©1997) by the National Academy of Sciences, courtesy of the National Academies Press, Washington, DC.

To effectively choose teaching methods and help students learn, you must first know something about whom you are teaching. Your students will come from very different backgrounds and have various learning needs. You may have students that graduated from high school when they were 16 and are still minors. Or you may have students that have been out of school for 20 or 30 years. Some students may have grown up in the college town, while others may be from across the globe and speak a completely different native language. Some students may have gone to schools without honors or advanced placement science and math courses, while others may have never been encouraged to pursue science or math at all.

Considerate Communication

Many students, regardless of their gender or cultural background, feel discouraged when they see inconsiderate behavior on the part of professors, TAs, or other students. Witnessing repeated problems may cause these students to question their major, or even their aspirations for a college degree. To foster class participation and student success, it is essential to provide a friendly and respectful classroom.

Each of us sees through the lens of our own experience. Being aware of stereotypes and inappropriate language is the first step to developing a genuine awareness of the other person's point of view.

Providing a welcoming environment is not as challenging as it may sound. It is about realizing the ways that some students may be misjudged by peers and instructors, and how this affects them. Treating students with consideration and interest, and encouraging them to treat each other likewise, will improve the quality of life at your university. Education is the beginning of your students' professional lives. Now is the time to make your words and example count.

Knowing Your Students' Backgrounds

Knowledge about students will enable you to refine lectures, class discussions, comments, illustrations, and activities so that they are more effective learning experiences. References to student interests, backgrounds, knowledge, and even anxieties can make the class seem more personal and the material more accessible.

Not all students will have the same background in your field. By assessing students' comprehension levels of the subject, you can modify your own teaching to fit their needs. By customizing your course to students' needs, you can teach more efficiently and effectively.

Your first step will be to find out more about your students. On the first day of class, hand out a questionnaire. You should find out what previous classes students have had in your field and related subjects. You can list basic terminology you expect students to understand, and ask students to mark the words they do not understand or feel uncomfortable with. Ask your students if their attendance or participation in class and on assignments will be affected by their religion, disability, or any other unique situation. Leave an area for students to write down any special accommodations they may need for learning disabilities, work or family obligations, etc.