Teaching Teachers with Dr. Summer Morrill (S4 E6)

TL;DR

Dr. Summer Morrill discusses how teaching biology can be improved by adopting a scientific mindset, modeling curiosity and question-asking, and incorporating inclusive strategies.

Transcript

SUMMER MORRILL: Being unsure and not knowing is actually a great thing to show your students, right? Because it models that curiosity, it models that question-asking. And you can come back to them and say, here's what I learned and how I learned it. SARAH HANSEN: Today on Chalk Radio, how thinking like scientists can make us better teachers and how... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤔 Scientific thinking, including curiosity, questioning, and evidence-based learning, can be applied to teaching biology, enhancing the learning experience.
• 🖐️ Role models play a crucial role in inspiring students, particularly for first-generation individuals in challenging fields like science.
• 👾 Inclusive strategies like Multiple Hands, Multiple Voices create space for diverse perspectives, ensuring a more inclusive classroom environment.
• 🔨 Addressing implicit bias and utilizing tools like rubrics and anonymized grading can help achieve equitable assessment.
• 😇 Feedback and observation support can help TAs enhance their teaching skills and create a culture of continuous improvement.
• 👻 Morrill's methods can be adaptable to various subjects and disciplines, allowing for personalized implementation based on the unique needs of each classroom.
• 🤔 Teaching encompasses not only scientific thinking but also empathy and care for students as human beings, promoting holistic growth and development.

Questions & Answers

Q: How can being unsure and not knowing actually benefit teachers and students?

Dr. Summer Morrill believes that modeling curiosity and question-asking when uncertain can inspire students and create a culture of learning. Teachers can admit they don't have all the answers, and then share what they have learned and how they learned it, fostering a sense of discovery.

Q: How can teachers create inclusive classrooms?

Morrill promotes strategies like Multiple Hands, Multiple Voices, where multiple students are given the opportunity to share their perspectives. Waiting for more students to raise their hands and giving conscious thinking time can create a more inclusive environment by allowing different ways of thinking and participation.

Q: How does Morrill address equity in grading?

She highlights the importance of being objective and mindful of implicit bias in grading. Teaching assistants are encouraged to use rubrics, anonymized grading, and provide detailed feedback to ensure a fair and equitable evaluation for all students.

Q: How does Morrill help teaching assistants improve their skills?

Morrill provides support by observing TAs in the classroom and offering non-evaluative feedback. By discussing what is going well and brainstorming ideas to enhance engagement and connection with students, TAs can develop their teaching skills.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Dr. Summer Morrill advocates for bringing scientific thinking into the classroom, encouraging curiosity, questioning, and evidence-based learning.

• She emphasizes the importance of role models in inspiring students to pursue science, drawing from her own experiences as a first-generation woman in science.

• As an instructor at MIT, Morrill trains teaching assistants to model science thinking and implement inclusive strategies like Multiple Hands, Multiple Voices for student participation.

• She also guides TAs in providing equitable grading by addressing implicit bias and using rubrics and detailed feedback.