Eight faculty share their failure stories on this special #100th episode of Teaching in Higher Ed.

CV of Failures

• Johannes Haushofer’s CV of Failures
• HBR article about Johannes Haushofer

Quotes

At the time, I felt like I had to know everything in order to be a good teacher, so instead of admitting that I didn’t know the answer to the student’s question, I dismissed it.

—Cameron Hunt-McNabb

I think I understand way better now what kinds of issues my students think are important.

—Doug McKee

I strongly identified with that strain of perfectionism that insists that unless every student in every class feels like every moment was a rich and profound learning experience, then I have failed.

—Jeff Hittenberger

Guest Stories

1) Katie Linder

• Didn’t allow discomfort in the classroom and rushed too quickly through it.
• Check out the Research in Action Podcast

2) Jeff Hittenberger

• Felt like he had failed at the end of each semester.

3.) Angela Jenks

• Didn’t know how much the class textbooks cost.

4.) Josh Eyler

• Gave quizzes just to test that students read.
• Read the conversation in Storify for Twitter

5.) Michelle Miller

• Didn’t take care of a problem before it escalated.

6.) James Lang

• Was not clear enough in assignment criteria.

7.) Cameron Hunt-McNabb

• Thought she had to know everything to be good teacher.

7.) Maha Bali

• Laughed at student’s suffering … almost.

8.) Doug McKee

• Didn’t understand what issues his students thought were important.
• TIHE episode 045: Calibrating our teaching (Aaron Daniel Annas)

Recommendations

Books:

Janine Utell: Dear Committee Members* by Julie Schumacher

José Bowen: Teaching Naked* by José Bowen

Sean Micael Morris: Savvy* by Ingrid Law

Cameron Hunt McNabb: Tina Fey’s advice to “Say yes” in her memoir, Bossy Pants*

Amy Collier: Quotes Anne Lamott: “These are the words I want on my gravestone: that I was a helper, and that I danced,” from her book Grace (Eventually)*

Tools:

Doug McKee: Piazza*

Aaron Daniel Annas: Amazon Echo*

Teaching inspiration:

Rebecca Campbell: Be kind to students. Don’t make assumptions.

Linda Nielsen: Cultivate your courage by trying out things you’re afraid of.

Lee Skallerup Bessette: Be hopeful. Be optimistic. And give your students the benefit of the doubt right from the start.

Doug McKee: Try poster sessions with students.

Peter Newbury: Get yourself into a learning community. Get on Twitter.

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