April 1, 2014 Teaching Observation of Professor Belle Liang, Ph.D.

Course Title: Adolescent Development Completed by: Laura Guthridge Chyou This morning I had the privilege of sitting in on a meeting of Professor Liangs Adolescent Development course. This course is aimed at providing undergraduate students with an overview of the theoretical and empirical literature related to adolescent development and to help students begin to formulate an understanding of how and why adolescents develop the way they do. One of the first things I noticed upon entering Professor Liangs class was the structure of the room, in particular, how the desks were arranged. Professor Liang was positioned at the front of the class near the projector screen and the students desks were arranged in large semi-circle around where she was standing. In my own experience while teaching I have often struggled with the issue of how to create the most comfortable, accessible, and discussion-promoting environment for my students. I have experimented with traditional seated rows, large circles, small circles, and even desks arranged in small table groupings. I really appreciated the structure of Professor Liangs classroom as it allowed students to be closer to her as the lecturer (reducing the physical and psychological distance that can be felt between the professor and the student), while simultaneously ensuring that students were turned toward the material and one another. Although this set-up may not be possible with very large classes it inspired me to continue to explore new ways to arrange my own classroom in order to maximize student learning and support classroom cohesion. Another key observation I made during Professor Liangs lecture was her ability to fluidly weave theoretical and empirical material together in a way that was interesting and relatable to students. Her Powerpoint slides were simple and consisted of only a few concepts, which she readily expanded upon and connected with her own and other scholars research in the field. It was clear that she had intimate knowledge of the subject and that she was passionate and involved in what she was teaching. As an early-career professor this is an important goal I hope to work toward. One of the most significant challenges I wrestle with in my teaching is the ability to find a balance between teaching from the textbook and incorporating my own knowledge and experience along with current research from the field. It is my hope that as I become more familiar with the subjects I teach and expand my own expertise that I will be able to follow Professor Liangs model in providing a truly integrated lecture experience for students. Lastly, Professor Liangs lecture spoke to a third teaching goal of mine which is to increase student involvement and connection to class discussions. Around the halfway point in her lecture, Professor Liang appeared to switch from a traditional lecture style to a focus on engaging her students in a complex discussion of the current topic. What I liked most about her approach were two things: 1) she knew the names of all of her students and called on them by name, and 2) she took time to really understand individual

students comments by restating them for the class, at times expanding on them with her own thoughts and ideas, and ultimately making connections between what the students had just said and earlier concepts, ideas, or feedback that had been shared during the lecture. In summary, observing Professor Liangs course has reinforced for me many of the teaching goals I am currently striving to attain. Consistent with my philosophy on teaching, I believe that the process of learning should be one that is accessible to all students, that promotes the integration of theory and research, and that supports and inspires practical connections to the material being taught.