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LATEST BOOK Teaching as I do in the business school, it is important to make the material relevant to what's happening out there in the world. To link what students learn in the classroom to the real world, I have students read the business press each week, and we discuss relevant topics, I also use case studies... to demonstrate how to diagnose and solve real business problems. This makes the course both interesting and current for the students, and gives them a sense of "hands on" experience. In international management, I want to communicate not just the theory, but an understanding of the economic, political, legal, and cultural environment in which business operates. This way students see how the theory is being played out in the actual world. A great teacher is a catalyst to make students think. The brains in the class do not reside just on one side of the classroom; they are on both sides. And it is incumbent upon the professor to bring out the creativity of the students. I call it "bubbling up" the creativity... heating up their ideas and imagination. How does one do this? First, a teacher who is very effective in the classroom must know the material inside and out. He or she should not need to read from the notes to know what to say... notes should serve only as a schedule, a plan to follow. Second, a good professor must be enthusiastic about the subject. He or she must enjoy teaching and communicate that to students. In the classroom, the professor is on stage, and must be effective in using personal presence to get the students enthused about the subject. Then, a good teacher must present the material as an organized whole... in a way that fits with the scheme of things for that particular day. Third, the professor must have a vision for the course. He or she must say "this is what I want to do, and here is what I want students to go away with when they finish." A teacher should believe that when students leave the class they will be better off in the sense that they have learned something, gained something, gotten new insights. The professor should make an impression. Finally, a good professor must care for students. If a student does poorly on a midterm the professor should find out why... were there any extenuating circumstances... and should let the student know that messing up on one test does not mean failure. I'm very fortunate. I love what I do - and I get paid for it. All professors
who enjoy what they do are blessed. We get immediate feedback... There's
nothing as rewarding as watching the faces of students in class, seeing
that relaxed, attentive expre ssion that tells you they're absorbing
the material. I especially like to know what the student has learned
in the classroom. Learning is most important to me and I strive to consistently
improve that process.
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