And people wonder why I refuse to take a Speech class. Hell no!
Wow I’m amazed that other students don’t like this approach from their profs. When I was a student anything a professor could do that broke up the monotany, that made their class stand out from all the others, inevitably led to me paying attention more and attending more. As a result now that I’ve been out of school for a good two years (<sob> have I been in the real world that long?) I’ve discovered that I retain the material those goofy, cool guy, professors taught me a lot better than I retain what my more mundane profs taught.
Hear, hear.
And although I’ve been out of school for four years (I’m sobbing right there with you, Cowboy), I definitely recommend any prof.'s reading this to do anything to ease the tension of class by way of innovative teaching methods.
A vast majority of your students will thank you-- and leave your class remembering not only your innovations, but most likely more of the material. Even if it means just getting out from behind your lecturn and interacting with your students once and a while.
Happy Lendervedder
As far as I’m concerned, nothing.
However, if our playful prof writes a paper about these antics, recording the response of students, then VIOLA! Those students are part of the experiment. (As others have mentioned.)
Why take a generously given C in the class when you can sue your instructor? That’s what lawyers expect, and students are starting to live up to this assumption.
That’s what’s kept me from doing something like this. I’ve always wanted to sit in the class, wait, and then say, “Well, if the prof isin’t showing up, I"LL teach this class!” Or start off all in French. Neither fits in pedagogically, though, as I teach English lit. As such, either would be a stunt just for the sake of a stunt. What Phlosphr’s doing isn’t just for kicks: it teaches something.
D’oh! Nice typo, Mr. English Teacher.
If it weren’t a psych course, I’d think it was kind of silly. But as far as I’m concerned, any student who doesn’t expect the most devious tricks from a psych professor has it coming.
…a large violin appeared! 
Man, there are some stodgy students on here.
This sort of thing is great, especially in a psych class. Furthermore, it’s an intro class, which means you have either new freshmen or older students filling a gen-ed. Stuff like this helps the class become more than a “stupid, pointless requirement.”
As far as professionalism from professors, I’ve always found the stodgy, “You MUST call me DOCTOR _____” to be unapproachable. YMMV, of course, but I’ve always thought a friendly prof was much easier to talk to, even in my “hard” courses.
Yes, I guess it depends whether you see learning as interactive or not (both in terms of the OP and the formal approach adopted). Here in the UK an informal approach is the norm (I work in a university, BTW) and if any of our professors stood up at the beginning of the year and said ‘you must call me Prof. X’ I’d be surprised. Likewise, I would hope that they adopt tactics to bring their subjects to life, rather as the OP does.
The rules stated above re: ethics also probably wouldn’t apply here in the UK as no harm is put to students and they wouldn’t be named in any paper (there are good practice guidelines but nothing black and white and this wouldn’t stick for a second!). That said, I guess I would ask that consent was gained from the students prior to any paper being written on the subject, just to cover backs.
Throw me in with the people who’d love if their profs did this sort of stuff.
I’ve had classes where I’d have cried with joy for something like this to break into the lectures that were reaching the Stab Yourself In The Crotch With A Compass level of boredom.
Ok let’s insert some clarification in this thread before some of the more conservative dopers lose get too wound up…
There are no reports written or experiments done without written consent. I’ve had one class in 7 years where a student said no. I was not annoyed, not concerned, class went on as usual without the study. The following semester I had another samble battery to work with and it went well.
There are many more studies where I can employ various physical methods to teach, as Troub has so eloquently pointed out. Studies on lying where you look into your neighbors eyes for a solid minute and then say a scripted line. Then decide if the person is telling the truth or not. You think you are shy, try staring into your neighbors eyes from 18 inches away, it should break some of your shyness.
Sleepytimebaby said:
Professional distance is something drilled into M.D.'s to prevent transference. You are not in Med School are you? Howevr, a smart doctor will heed the advice given in this class, but be able to deduce (with a little psychology) that bedside manner is an essential, key aspect of being a good physician. A healing mind is a healthy mind sleepy. I am niether immature nor non-professional. I think the associates on the board of the Melon-fellowship I worked under can attest to that. Liken me to Patch Adams if you must (just switch the career from medicine to psychology). I believe humor with a little guidence is a wonderful teaching tool.
Too many adults in this world lose the ability to laugh and smile at the little things in life. To me I would feel morally and emotionally depraved if I did not have a humorous spirit. I get my Job done quite well thank you very much, I would never have been granted tenure nor department head had I not. The grades of my students speak for themselves.
Ok wipes brow on to more up lifting things. This semester I do not have a class of purly freshman so doing the ‘prof in the stacks’ routine will not work. However, I am teaching abnormal this semester - evil grin - and a double blind experiment on schizo-typal disorder may be acceptable. :dubious:
I can’t wait. Class begins mid week next week and my classes are very fun this semester. And in the Spring I get to teach MY class. As in the class I designed the first year of my teaching career and it has stuck. Its a wonderful class where we talk about irrational behavior, believing in fallacies, brocholi, and UFO’s…it’s a 400 level course and a small class usually, I love it.
Phlosphr, good for you.
Speaking as a college student, I salute you and your innovative ways. A teacher who stands in front of the class and drones on for 50 minutes is not interesting. My dad still remembers his first day of a Reporting class he took. The prof had only been talking for a few minutes when a guy in a ski mask ran in, robbed the professor at banana-point, and left.
Then they all had to write a story based on what they’d seen.
I’ve had the privlidge thus far of having several very animated professors, and oddly enough, nearly all of them have been at least good-humored, if not outright funny.
Gosh, never thought I’d live to see the day I’d be described as one of the more conservative Dopers…
Oh, and the obligatory Simpsons quote/paraphrase:
I had a roomate in College who was a med student. We lived in a house with 2 other people. He was the most dull, muted, non-humourous person I had met at the time, I’ve met my fair share since. Bed side manner should be a high priority, unfortunately too many doc’s get the God Perplex and lose their ability to gain humour from anything.
Good show Phil, you sound like a great prof!
I usually find Simpson’s quotes whitty and humorous, what’s up with this one. And maybe you could explain how this corresponds to me?
I don’t like the idea of playing a part in an experiment unwittingly. I don’t like any of the examples from other poster.
What does it say about me that I dislike being embarrassed or feeling stupid or duped so much? What you describe Phlosphr would make me very uncomfortable and I probably would not enjoy your class because of it. I also wouldn’t have a lot of trust in you, either. Maybe you were just “experimenting” on me. How would I know?
Daddytimestwo - Maybe you should re-read my clarification post. I do not experiment on anyone without written consent. The first day of class gag has a two fold meaning to me. I can judge the overall mood of the class, and I can break the ice for kids going to college for the first time.
The written consents are passed out [if we do a study] and thats it. Everyone knows whats going on at all times. Except in studies like troub mentioned where surprise is required. I’ve been told by many that my classes are fun and people generally learn a lot in them. Furthermore I never embarrass students, it goes against my moral policies and is down right rude. I do not know where you got the idea that I embarrass anyone.
What exactly makes you uncomfortable about the ice breaker described above ?
I just had the wittiest most insightful post in the fucking world get eaten. Trust me it was fucking great.
Pardon me while I file down the chip on my shoulder. My point, Phlosphr was that I have a way-over-developed sense of empathic embarassment. I don’t know why. I would be uncomfortable in the situation you describe. You say that you can “judge the overall mood of the class”. That sounds like an experiment to me, especially since it’s a psychology course. If a math professor or something did it, it would perhaps be less problematic.
It’s probably just me, though, so just carry on. Maybe I can come see you after class to talk about it?
I understand Daddy, completely. Most teachers will tell you that they tweek their styles depending on the mood of the class. Some classes you have to pull their teeth out just to get them to participate, others you have to constently say, “All right class keep it down.” It varies year to year, class to class.
But I completley understand your point.