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*  A student suggested that I always carry a couple of pieces of colored
    chalk in my backpack. 

    Most meetings begin with an agenda.  Doing the same for a class helps
    students know the broad overview of where things fit together.  The agenda
    need not be fancy, but rather start with a “today we want to cover.”

    Feeling brave?  Play stump the teacher.  Usually late in the semester I
    try to have a class that is totally student-driven.  It works best for
    seniors and is motivated by a “so what questions to you still have about
    Finance?”  It is a fun class.  Most meetings begin with an agenda.  Doing the same 
    for a class helps students know the broad overview of where things fit together.  The 
    agenda need not be fancy, but rather start with a “today we want to cover.”

    Feeling brave?  Play stump the teacher.  Usually late in the semester I
    try to have a class that is totally student-driven.  It works best for
    seniors and is motivated by a “so what questions to you still have about
    Finance?”  It is a fun class.
 

*  I always try to give some current event questions with every test.  It
    keeps the students up-to date and makes them more ready to face the
    interview process as well as to understand how the material is used in the
    real world.
 

*  Holistic Finance:  Students should be taught how the various classes fit
    together.  For example, when teaching a corporate class on valuation
    explain that the financial securities that the firm sells make up the
    assets in an investors portfolio.  Thus, even if the student plans on
    working on the corporate side of the financial spectrum. It is still
    important to know what investors are looking for. 

   Cumulative finals are a good way to bring the entire year together.
   Rather than seeing things in isolation, cumulative finals help the student
   tie the various parts of the class together. 
 

*  In spite of student protests, always give a cumulative final--it is often
    the only time many of the students will grasp the bigger picture of the
    class and not just try to memorize individual sections.

    I almost always allow a “cheat-sheet” for tests.  My goal is to not make
    students memorize but rather apply what they learn.  The amazing thing is
    however that very few students ever use their cheat sheets.  In compiling
    the cheat sheet the learning has been accomplished. 
 

*  Why listen to me?  We can all learn from Richard Rankin.  Rankin teaches
     high school economics in Hawaii.  (That in itself must be  hard!-talk
     about competition for the student’s time!)  He won the Nasdaq’s Teaching
     award and has some really cool ides for projects.  Example: having
     students “advise” past presidents on economic policy. 
     http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/may2001/nf2001057_567.htm
 

*  Putting class notes online dramatically reduces the number of students
    coming to office hours as a result of missing class. 
 

*  The first day of class trade biographical information with your students.
    For example I always ask what there likes and dislikes are, where their
    home town is, past finance experience, and any career goals.  It not only
    helps you learn their likes and dislikes, but also helps them to learn
    more about you and thereby improve the learning experience for both
    teacher and student.
 

*  I had the pleasure of meeting with Hugh Hobson of James Madison University
    this week.  Hugh is doing some really cool things with computer
    technology.  For example in the first week of class he gives out a CD of
    all of the power point presentations with an accompanying audio
    description of each slide.  This audio description is the real value-added
    as he explains what the slides mean as well as how they fit into the
    bigger picture, just as if he were teaching the class on a one on one
    basis. 

    While many of us do give out our notes via the web, the voice addition
    often makes the downloads of the material too slow.  The CD giveaway is a
    great, relatively inexpensive way of getting around this download problem.
 

    Great idea and keep up the great work! 
 

*  While graphs and complex equations work wonders with some students, try to
     show a simple numeric example as well.  My favorite example of this is
     when we show the leverage effects of various derivatives.  Sure show how
     to price it and explain why, but also use a real world example of how much
     they would make or lose when the underlying asset changes in value.  This
     not only involves them more, but as often or not, it will the be first
     thing they remember later on. 

     Need some motivation?  Remember while you have seen the material many
     times, it is new to your students.  If you are not excited about it, they
     will not be either. So make it fun and exciting and you will find yourself
     remotivated in no time!

     If you have teaching ideas, e-mail me at jimmahar@FinanceProfessor.com.
 

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