Q. How might a dialog and listening process improve teaching?

A. By A.B. Arons, "Addendum to 'Toward Wider Public Understanding of Science'," Am. J. Phys. 42, 157-158 (1974):

'I am deeply convinced that a statistically significant improvement would occur if more of us learned to listen to our students . . . . By listening to what they say in answer to carefully phrased, leading questions, we can begin to understand what does and does not happen in their minds, anticipate the hurdles they encounter, and provide the kind of help needed to master a concept or line of reasoning without simply "telling them the answer.". . . . Nothing is more ineffectually arrogant than the widely found teacher attitude that 'all you have to do is say it my way, and no one within hearing can fail to understand it.'. . . . Were more of us willing to relearn our physics by the dialog and listening process I have described, we would see a discontinuous upward shift in the quality of physics teaching. I am satisfied that this is fully within the competence of our colleagues; the question is one of humility and desire.'

Note: Arnold Arons passed away in Spring 2001. He contributed greatly to the field of critical thinking in science. For more information on references, click here.