How to become a better teacher

Hello everyone, I’m Anggi Maisarah. I’m a lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Universitas Sumatera Utara.

If someone asks me what has helped me become a better teacher, my answer would be surprisingly simple. I stopped thinking that teaching was only about delivering content.

Like many new lecturers, I used to spend most of my time preparing slides and making sure I could explain every topic clearly. I thought that if I explained everything well, students would automatically understand. Sometimes they did, but not always. That’s when I realised there is a difference between teaching and learning.

One small change I made was how I opened my classes. Instead of starting with a definition or a theorist, I began with a question, or real situations related to the topic. It didn’t take much extra time, but it gives students a reason to care about what we were discussing. That is, they became more willing to ask questions and share their opinions.

Another lesson I learned is that not every student participates in the same way. Some students are comfortable speaking immediately, while others need a little time to think.

So, before opening a discussion to the whole class, I often ask students to talk with the person next to them first. It sounds simple, but I’ve found that many more students are willing to contribute afterwards.

I’ve also changed the way I look at assessment. I no longer see it as something that only measures students’ performance, but it also tells me something about my own teaching. When many students struggle with the same concept, I ask myself whether I need to explain it differently, or provide another example.

Those moments have probably taught me as much as any teaching workshop I’ve attended. Well, for me, becoming a better teacher isn’t about finding one perfect teaching method. Every class is different, and every group of students teach us something new.

The key is keep reflecting, keep listening and be willing to adjust our approach when something isn’t working.

Looking back, I don’t think the teachers who influenced me the most were the ones who spoke the longest or had the most impressive slides. They were the ones who made learning meaningful and made students feel comfortable enough to ask questions, make mistakes and keep learning. Well, that’s the kind of teacher I continue to strive to become.

Well, thank you for watching.

Anggi Maisarah is a lecturer at the Faculty of Law at Universitas Sumatera Utara.