20120920

教學與表演

我一向認為教學有表演成份,在堂上講課,不應只是將預備好的內容一五一十講出來,否則隨時你有你講,學生有學生魂遊太虛境,到頭來相見爭如不見,達不到教學目的,雙方都浪費了時間。所謂表演成份,就是要考慮如何吸引學生的注意力,令他們在「漫長」的五十分鐘裏,大部份時間都集中精神聽書。

我試過在課堂上表演紙牌魔術,雖然和教學內容可以勉強扯上關係,但主要還是娛樂學生,只能偶一為之,以免本末倒置。一般來說,我的教學「表演」不過是提高聲線、七情上面、語音抑揚頓挫、舉些有趣的例子、穿插短小精悍的笑話、和間中扯到一些有關的個人經歷(例如怎樣學習細讀艱深的文本)。

然而,有時我太投入講解一些複雜的概念或論証,會短暫進入「忘我之境」,好像忘記了自己正在教書,只管將概念或論証條分縷析,弄得一清二楚,也就不能同時兼顧「表演」了;越講越深入詳盡,對一些學生來說也就越枯燥乏味,十分鐘過後,通常至少已有約一學生集中不到精神,聽不下去了。這時我也會「醒覺」(我對學生的反應相當敏感),知道要重回表演的 mode,否則那堂課算是失敗了。

其實,假如學生聽我的課覺得悶,我也會感到「無癮」。記得見過一個同事在教學評估裏得到以下的學生評語: “If I had one hour to live, I would spend it in Prof. X’s class because he makes an hour feel like eternity!” (「假如我只有一小時可活,我會去上 教授的課,因為他會令一小時過得像永生那麼長!」)如果我得到這樣的評語,我會轉行!

22 則留言:

  1. //如果我得到這樣的評語,我會轉行!// don't say that in public. A person like AL may enroll in your class and leave such an evaluation. LOL. --zpdrmn

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    1. Of course I was kidding.

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    2. ROFLMAO by the AL comment. However, IF Mr A** is taking his class, The Prof. could drop him, right? heh heh.

      -49er

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    3. Yes, I could drop students, but I have to justify my decision.

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    4. Prof., is being a pain-in-the-butt reason enough? ;)

      Um, but I suppose the deal will need to approve also.

      -49er

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    5. That would be a good enough reason (though it needs to be rephrased).

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    6. I will rephrase by: "It is in my profession recommendation that Mr. "A** Looney" is unfit to attend this course due to his unsatisfactory failure to achieve the basics of thoughts, moral, and cohesive arguments as prescribed in the pre-requested class "101 Introduction to Philosophy."

      -49er

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  2. 能令一小時像永生那魔長的人,可以轉行做魔術師。

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    1. 錯XD
      係做醫生 拎諾貝爾生物學獎
      因為你大幅拉長生物既壽命~~

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    2. 我反對姐姐的說法﹐我認為哲人王如有此能力
      應該轉行做神!(爆)

      人家信耶穌得永生﹐你個同事仲厲害
      上佢堂如同上天堂
      你都咪話唔犀飛利!

      正題﹕
      我據講﹐人能夠全神貫注聽人講話﹐只有十五分鐘時間
      如果此說屬實﹐將一堂設定做五十分鐘﹐本來就係一個錯誤!(哀)

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    3. karol,

      那麼我認識很多人可以轉行做魔術師了。

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    4. //我據講﹐人能夠全神貫注聽人講話﹐只有十五分鐘時間//

      - 每個人都可以不同,最多可以講 average attention span, 而且還要考慮年齡(幼童的 average attention span 便較成年人的短)。

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  3. 那個學生可以試下做棟篤笑。

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  4. 睡著了就不覺得長啦XD

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  5. 五十分鐘咁短?呢度上親都三個鐘,我只有不斷搞爛gag。

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    1. 美國大學也有三個鐘的堂課,通常是每星期只一堂。
      而五十分鐘的堂課通常是要每星期上三堂。
      所以兩種堂課所用的時間都差不多。

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    2. 對,也有一星期兩堂,每堂分七十五鐘。我每次都要求一星期三堂,這學期系內時間表出錯,我才第一次教一星期兩堂的課。

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  6. 哈哈,那個學生評語好攪笑,那你同事Prof. X平時是否大悶蛋一個?他看了評語後感覺如何?會改善一吓他的堂上表演嗎?

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    1. 他平時也是個大悶蛋。我不知道他看到評語有甚麼感覺,但他的教學沉悶依舊。

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    2. Succumbed by my curiosity (sad excuse for being nosy), I had gone to the department's faculty webpage to check out who looked the most boring. IMHO, I am afraid your looks rank you to the top of that list.

      Want a make over? I am suggesting you to start by go for these, they rock!

      http://www.laeyeworks.com/catalogFrames/frames/TU209DR.jpg

      heh heh.

      * * *

      On a more serious note...

      I do not know where on your previous blog entries I can post this to, since this has nothing to do with this specific entry.

      It is something I head on NPR this morning, on how our brain's mental pictures can influence moral judgment.

      Thought you may be interested.

      http://www.npr.org/2012/09/20/161440292/why-pictures-can-sway-your-moral-judgment

      * * *

      On a separate but related note:

      I supposed you know of this one also

      http://philosophytalk.org

      To a layman like me, the above is easier for me to comprehend.

      -49er

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