Teachers Narratives

This is a great website developed by the Department of Education of the University of Washington for both fresh and experienced teachers whose aim is always learn a little bit more about the way teaching takes place in different environments (and with different publics!).

All the narratives contain a list of suggestions and tips for the specific problem related by the teacher, and all the strategies point to the best approach to be used with students fitting that specific profile.

Even though the taught subject is sometimes related to the engineering field, it is really worth reading the needs analysis they perform for each case.

I have personally selected some of the best narratives which, in my opinion, best illustrate the reality of our everyday professional lives:


My Students Look Bored in Class

Facing bored students frustrates Dr. Wong.

Synopsis:

Dr. Mike Wong, who teaches a large mechanics of materials class, is frustrated that his students appear bored and disinterested. Mike wants his class to be an engaging and instructive experience, so he talks with a research colleague who offers useful suggestions for enlivening the course.

Click here to be redirected to the whole narrative.



Why Are My Students Performing So Poorly?

Christina's students did not perform on a recent exam as well as she expected.

Synopsis:

Dr. Christina Delgado has been teaching for 15 years in mechanical engineering, but in one class she’s frustrated that her students’ performance is not meeting her expectations. Exam scores are lower than previous years she’s taught this class. Trying to figure out why her students are struggling, Christina speaks with an instructional consultant to tease out the roadblocks to student performance.

Click here to be redirected to the whole narrative.




This Student Is Driving Me Nuts!

Dr. Rucker must manage classroom dynamics when a student dominates the discussion.


Synopsis:

Dr. Craig Rucker is having difficulty managing one particular student in a graduate level class he's teaching. He's frustrated that this student dominates the class discussion with her professional experiences. Craig speaks with a friend to figure out how to maintain a positive learning environment for all.

Click here to be redirected to the whole narrative.