Thus, I feel that my excitement is as important as my knowledge of psychology. The transfer of excitement transcends teaching technique. I feel I can communicate my passion for psychology using a variety of pedagogical methods. All students are not excited by the same thing. Some students get excited by lecture, others by small group activities, still others by cooperative learning.
Students respond best when the course requirements match their individual learning style.
Using a variety of techniques is vital in order to reach and make contact with all the students in the classroom. For instance, I use a handout about interpersonal attraction that presents the student with several scenarios and asks them to apply principles of social psychology to predict what will happen. The transfer of excitement also transcends educational setting. Although the classroom is where I can affect the greatest number of students, other settings are also important. I have found that my contact with students outside the classroom can be just as rewarding and beneficial as my contact in the classroom.