Stop, listen. Think. Ask, listen, ask, listen... do something. Stop. Listen. Think. Repeat.

Today I lectured, I actually lectured. 

In an attempt to teach students how to do everything, we fail to teach them how to think.

I remember being an undergrad in a communications program (and then a master's PR student) never "doing" just conceptualizing and relating back to theory.  I was frustrated that my liberal arts education didn't teach me to DO anything. Instead I was constantly finding that, "some things affect some of the people, some of the time, in some situations." 

I now realize I was learning more than the current "experiential teaching" method could ever teach. My liberal arts schooling taught me something much more important  - it taught me how to think. 

I find most of the time my students want to know what they have to "do" to get an A (or heck, a B will do most of the time). Then they do what is needed to earn that mark.  They want to be told what to do to earn the next mark. And if they don't achieve the mark on the first try (probably because they didn't turn in anything) they badger and beg (very unbecoming) trying to get me to break and give them an exception (grade, time, try, extension).

Some students work so hard at getting out of work, that they could have finished the entire assignment by the time they finished their excuse correspondences. I get exhausted thinking about it (and from from reading/hearing their multiple platform attempts telling me they CAN'T get their assignment in on time).

Many want to rush through the theory, research, cases, (did I mention theory?) and jump into the "fun" doing aspect of our program. They see the more advanced students doing and want to skip the learning required to "do" effectively. They don't want to connect the dots and think about the big picture.

So, today I lectured. I really lectured.

 I whipped this up a few minutes before class. Feel free to use it with your students. My title was to grab their attention.  Adjust it to your learning style and needs. Just ask and I'll email you the old skool Power Point with outdated PC animations. I think I may have even JUMPED during the last slide. Heck if, it will help your students learn, I'll record a jump for you too!

And a special thanks to all of the teachers who forced me to think - Dr. Barbara Burke, Dr. Neil Leroux, Dr. Janet Ericksen, Dr. Ana Garner and Ms. Sandra Whitehead.