Bryce's Best Teacher

In an attempt to think of the greatest teachers I've had in school has caused a debate in my head about what constitutes a great learning experience. For instance, using my Anthropology degree there were four teachers who made a great impact on me, but for all different reasons and approaches to their pedagogy. One professor showed great passion in his delivery, and as you sat and listened, you could feel like you were transported somewhere else for one hour. His class felt refreshing, in the sense that I know I had learned something new, while sometimes not knowing what exactly it was. Two other professors I had taught with their emotions and with direct experiences from their own fieldwork. They were most concerned with bringing the students into an "enlightenment" of what is; sometimes those were hard truths, and others times they were simply new perspectives on pre-existing ideas. Lastly, I had a teacher who I would call the technician when it comes to teaching. He was organized, rhetorical, and precise in his execution. Out of these four I would have trouble choosing the best for various reasons, however, I will focus here on teacher number four because he taught me the more about Anthropology as a discipline, than any other. 

I enrolled in two classes from him, "Survey in Ethnographic Film" and "History of Anthropological Thought." Both consisted of reading carefully into the details of specific individuals and their crafts by evaluating the development in things like theory, writing, filmmaking, and general perspectives. In class, he would always give preliminary introductions to the next topic, and afterward have you read (or watch) it for preparation of the next class. However, for homework, much like this reflection here he would require students to write a reflection on the topic before coming to the next class where he will be discussing it with us. This way, we could engage with the information ourselves before being influenced by his own pedagogy. During class, there was never a dull moment since he always spoke with haste and consistency - dosing off for even one minute meant possibly missing an all important point. He also asked many rhetorical questions, and countered student answers with alternative perspectives. Not as a way to say the student was wrong, but rather to show that within their own perspectives lies many others ways of approaching the same information. Further, he organized group activities such as discussions, skits, and role playing. Afterward, we would discuss what we learned from the exercise. And as I said earlier, he had everyone to keep a journal of their thoughts and be reflective about what we were learning. These traits made him one of my most effective professors in college, leaving the feeling that I had learned a great deal about Anthropology, but most importantly learned what a good classroom experience looks like.

On a interesting side note, not everyone enjoyed his class or liked his style of teaching. Other students I have talked to expressed their extreme dislike towards him and felt the way he engaged with the class was ill-informative and overtly complicated. I find this interesting because I know his approach was solid, and although he came off a bit intense and conceded at times, it was all part of the act. Therefore, my question is: To what extent does teaching become a performance (as in the act that you put on for the class)?