Summary of the First Two Chapters of What the Best College Teachers Do

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Summary of Chapters 1 & 2 Chapter 1 introduces the questions of what makes a good teacher and what should good education be. It basically explains the criteria they used define their variables, to select subjects, and to determine the validity and reliability of their sources. For the sake of the study described in this book, an outstanding professor was defined as one who is remarkably successful in helping their students learn in a substantial and sustained manner. In addition, they should be able to significantly influence the ways they think, act, and feel. The study also considered those who were able to motivate their students to learn and understand the material rather than just absorbing the information presented to them. The first chapter ends with the major conclusions regarding the behavior of successful teachers. These teachers know their subjects extremely well. They are active scholar, artists, or scientists. They are continuously updating their knowledge, doing research, have important and original thoughts relating their fields, and are interested in what other people do in the same fields. Outstanding teachers treat their lectures with the same seriousness and dedication needed in other endeavors such as research or scholarships. They also create class objectives that can be applied outside of the classroom. Students are taught in a way that allows them to confront, analyze, rethink previous assumptions, and examine schemas. At the same time, students are treated with decency by believing in their capacity to learn. Finally, students are evaluated based on the objectives of the course. These conclusions imply that teachers should be entirely devoted to their professions and fields of study in order to be effective educators. I do not believe that it is possible to teach effectively if one lacks interest and expertise in the subject. This

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