RULES FOR 

EFFECTIVE TEACHING: 3

PROBLEMS WHEN 

TEACHERS TALK:

1. Students are distracted 

by the teacher’s 

facial expressions 

and body language.

2. Watching the teacher talk

interferes with listening.

3. Students overwrite (forget)   

previous concepts and details.

4. Diverting eyes 

from the memory pattern 

or notes being taken

causes more overwriting 

of input.

SOLUTIONS:

1. Stop making eye contact 

with students.

2. Insist that students 

write continuous notes 

and keep eyes off 

the teacher's distracting face.

3. Teachers can record 

their own material 

during prep time 

and play it as needed.

4. During recordings 

teachers can sit by students 

who are off-task. 

5. Teachers can have time 

to be a model for listening 

and taking notes.

MEMORY TRIGGERS TEST

problems______________________

______________________________

distracted______________________

_______________________________

interferes______________________

______________________________

overwrite______________________

_______________________________

diverting_______________________

_______________________________

solutions_______________________

_______________________________

eye contact_____________________

_______________________________

continuous_____________________

______________________________

eyes off________________________

_______________________________

record_________________________

_______________________________

off-task________________________

______________________________

model_________________________

______________________________

Copyright 2005 Carl Peterson