26 - Conclusion: is this on the exam?

Summary

A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.

– Mark Twain

Put me in, Coach – I'm ready to play today.

– John Fogarty

We all want to do well whatever it is that we do. We strive to do that through preparation and “getting in the game.” Whether you are just starting out as an instructor or have been at it for a couple of decades, there is always some aspect of the teaching craft waiting to be explored, experimented with, and enjoyed. This book was born of a desire to encourage and arm instructors to be committed stewards of a sacred trust: helping others to learn. No book can comprehensively cover the full gamut of topics embedded in that objective. We have, however, attempted to share our insights, born of trial and error, success and failure, and years of debate and discussion. If this book is an encouragement to you, we are thankful for that. If this book shortens your “trial” time and minimizes your “errors,” we are thankful for that, too.

As we think back over our combined 18 years as college students, there are several instructors that we clearly remember as excellent at what they did. What was it about those instructors that so engaged us, so inspired us, and in large measure enticed us into a teaching career? Three attributes stand out. First, they each brought their subject matter alive – making it interesting, relevant, and understandable.