Teaching

I wrote this series on teaching because writing helps thinking clearly. This is a learning tool for me.

The series is organized, from big to small, as follows:

1. Priorities. When ambiguity arises, these inform how one ought to decide.

2. Habits. The modus operanti, the standard ways of operating, what generally works. The standard plays.

   2.5. Techniques. The technical aspects to support implementing the doctrines. HOW-TO on LaTeX, Illustrator, day-to-day tech chains.

3. Plays. Specific activities that suits the landscape and purpose.

One of my guiding principles is that context matters, so it is only fair that we state my context upfront. Not everything can - or should - be universal.

Context

I teach exclusively IB Diploma chemistry, to students 16-20 yr old. Class sizes are small (avg 15 students), and I teach 5 classes (~70 students) each year. The technical support team is superb. I teach in one lab exclusively and can decorate the room. There is only one fumehood and the furniture is immobile. A projector and whiteboard is available.

Students come from a range of academic, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds.

• chemistry
• math
• language
• educational
  • prior success strategies
  • relationship with teachers
• technological
• developmental

Teaching time is severely limited; depending on calendar, in the past years I had between 153 to 178 hours to teach a 240 hr course (65% - 75%). Meeting students 1-on-1 formally is often difficult as I'm often booked from 8:20 - 6 pm.