Teaching Styles

The most effective teachers vary their styles depending on the nature of the subject matter, the phase of the course and other factors.
It’s helpful to think of teaching styles according to three D's: Directing, Discussing, and Delegating.

Directing Style: Promotes learning through listening and following directions. With this style, the teacher tells the students what to do, how to do it, when it needs to be done.

Suggestions for using the directing style:

   Start with the big picture.

         Be clear and concise.

         Provide sufficient details.

         Don’t sugar- coat the message.  

Discussing Style: Promotes learning through interaction. In this style, practiced by Socrates, the teacher encourages critical thinking and lively discussion by asking students to respond challenging questions.

Suggestions for using the discussing style:

   Prepare questions in advance.

        Don’t allow one or two students to dominate the discussion.
   Have students create questions.
  Utilize clickers.

Delegating Style: Promote learning through empowerment. With this style, the teacher assigns tasks that students work on independently, either individually or in groups.

Suggestions for using delegating style:
   Assign research projects.
      Assign team projects.