Poor Learning from Good Teachers

professors at colleges and unisities think they know a good teacher when they see one, or rather when they have observed him * closely for a long time, or seen him perform in the classroom, in seminars, and in departmental meetings. They may also have heard that he has received excellent evaluations from his undergraduate students; that some of them rave about his personality and his brilliant, exciting, and witty lectures; that most of them praise his lucid exposition, his fine rapport with students, his availability to all who seek extra help or a sympathetic ear; and that all mention his fairness in setting and grading examinations. Yet, in my view, many of these good teachers actually do a poor job of teaching in the sense that the learning that results from their performance is sometimes worse than that produced by notoriously poor teachers. If this statement sounds paradoxical, or just plain silly, consider the arguments in its support.