Part of our ongoing series of conversations with thinkers and activists on education issues
In a year in which we’re exploring great teaching, it’s a good time to talk with Ken Bain. He’s a longtime historian, scholar and academic who has studied and explored teaching for decades, most notably in his 2004 book, What the Best College Teachers Do.
Ken Bain, author of What the Best College Teachers Do. (LA Johnson)
You focused on 100 college professors in a wide variety of institutions and disciplines. What do the best professors know and understand about teaching?
They certainly understand their discipline. They often understand the history of their discipline and know that everything that they believe can be questioned. They are accomplished scholars, artists and scientists. They know how to simplify and clarify complex subjects. They may not have studied human learning but they grasp important insights into how human beings learn and how to foster that learning through practice.
How do the best teachers prepare?
