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[(Teaching What You Don't Know)] [Author: Therese Huston] published on
Your graduate work was on bacterial evolution, but now you're lecturing to 200 freshmen on primate social life. You've taught Kant for twenty years, but now you're team-teaching a new course on Ethics and the Internet. The personality theorist retired and wasn't replaced, so now you, the neuroscientist, have to teach the "Sexual Identity" course. Everyone in academia knows it and no one likes to admit faculty often have to teach courses in areas they don't know very well. The challenges are even greater when students don't share your cultural background, lifestyle, or assumptions about how to behave in a classroom.In this practical and funny book, an experienced teaching consultant offers many creative strategies for dealing with typical problems. How can you prepare most efficiently for a new course in a new area? How do you look credible? And what do you do when you don't have a clue how to answer a question?Encouraging faculty to think of themselves as learners rather than as experts, Therese Huston points out that authority in the classroom doesn't come only, or even mostly, from perfect knowledge. She offers tips for introducing new topics in a lively style, for gauging students' understanding, for reaching unresponsive students, for maintaining discussions when they seem to stop dead, and -yes- for dealing with those impossible questions.Original, useful, and hopeful, this book reminds you that teaching what you don't know, to students whom you may not understand, is not just a job. It's an adventure. "
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First published January 1, 2009
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About the author
Therese Huston
8 books53 followersTHERESE HUSTON, PH.D., is a cognitive scientist at Seattle University and the author of four books. Her latest book, "Sharp: 14 Simple Ways to Improve Your Life with Brain Science," helps you make the most of the brain you've got. Whatever your age, we all want to be a little mentally sharper.
Therese received her BA from Carleton College and her MS and PhD in cognitive psychology from Carnegie Mellon University. She completed a post-doc in clinical cognitive neuroscience at the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition and she’s earned a postgraduate certificate in Organizational Leadership from the Said Business School at the University of Oxford.
In 2004, she founded the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Seattle University. Therese has also written for the New York Times and Harvard Business Review and "How Women Decide" was named a summer reading title by Oprah.com.
Therese gives talks and leads workshops on how to create more inclusive workplaces. Microsoft, Amazon, Nationwide, Morgan Stanley, the Cleveland Clinic, and TEDX have all asked Therese to give talks on creating more inclusive workplaces.
When she’s not writing or speaking, she loves to spend time with her charming and very bright husband and her adorable but not-very-bright Boston Terrier.
Therese received her BA from Carleton College and her MS and PhD in cognitive psychology from Carnegie Mellon University. She completed a post-doc in clinical cognitive neuroscience at the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition and she’s earned a postgraduate certificate in Organizational Leadership from the Said Business School at the University of Oxford.
In 2004, she founded the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Seattle University. Therese has also written for the New York Times and Harvard Business Review and "How Women Decide" was named a summer reading title by Oprah.com.
Therese gives talks and leads workshops on how to create more inclusive workplaces. Microsoft, Amazon, Nationwide, Morgan Stanley, the Cleveland Clinic, and TEDX have all asked Therese to give talks on creating more inclusive workplaces.
When she’s not writing or speaking, she loves to spend time with her charming and very bright husband and her adorable but not-very-bright Boston Terrier.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
October 10, 2012
Almost two months ago I began an unexpected academic career in engineering education. With only about 6 weeks from the time I was approached with the opportunity to presenting my first lecture, I had to completely shift how I think and plan my work. I desperately started looking for books and tools to help me through this foreseeable difficult transition. Therese Huston has written a gem of a book for people not only in my situation but in what I now personally see as an endemic challenge facing those in academia--teaching with which you are not a content expert.
Nearly two months into the job, I'm surviving. The hours are long (I'm writing this at 3 am--stalling getting my 8 am class planned) and the work is extremely challenging; and yet, I find myself enjoying the challenge. Sometime I feel woefully unprepared to teach the next module (hence why I'm stalling), but the work is rewarding and fulfilling. I've unanimously heard from teachers in and out of the university that it does get better! Here's hoping I'll see more sleep in the not-too-distant future.
Thank you Therese for helping start this difficult but much needed conversation. I highly recommend your book to all who stand in front of the classroom--and for their administration.
Nearly two months into the job, I'm surviving. The hours are long (I'm writing this at 3 am--stalling getting my 8 am class planned) and the work is extremely challenging; and yet, I find myself enjoying the challenge. Sometime I feel woefully unprepared to teach the next module (hence why I'm stalling), but the work is rewarding and fulfilling. I've unanimously heard from teachers in and out of the university that it does get better! Here's hoping I'll see more sleep in the not-too-distant future.
Thank you Therese for helping start this difficult but much needed conversation. I highly recommend your book to all who stand in front of the classroom--and for their administration.
September 6, 2021
helpful
August 9, 2023
Nothing here that somebody formally trained to teach wouldn't know. What a dumb stigma in academia.
November 26, 2022
My immediate reaction to discovering that I would be teaching pharmacology to second year medical students was pure panic – aside from tutoring some years ago, I had never really taught before. Out of that panic, I turned to this book, which not only assuaged my paranoia, but was also rife with helpful teaching tips.
Huston is a strong advocate of “active teaching,” which refers to ensuring students are engaged beyond simply listening, such as by always asking questions which dig at the core of the concepts which are being discussed. Indeed, this seems consistent with the widely accepted benefits of the Socratic method in small group teaching. In that lieu, Huston explores how by changing the context underlying a difficult concept, we might be able to get the concept to click in the minds of students who might be struggling to understand it.
An unexpected takeaway I had from this book was appreciating the importance of getting well-timed student feedback (e.g. at the end of terms) to keep one’s teaching more fluid and dynamic. This also seems relatively feasible in practice and probably would be very useful, keeping an open feedback loop is helpful in almost any situation!
Definitely very glad that I read this – my initial and current lesson plans are quite different!
Huston is a strong advocate of “active teaching,” which refers to ensuring students are engaged beyond simply listening, such as by always asking questions which dig at the core of the concepts which are being discussed. Indeed, this seems consistent with the widely accepted benefits of the Socratic method in small group teaching. In that lieu, Huston explores how by changing the context underlying a difficult concept, we might be able to get the concept to click in the minds of students who might be struggling to understand it.
An unexpected takeaway I had from this book was appreciating the importance of getting well-timed student feedback (e.g. at the end of terms) to keep one’s teaching more fluid and dynamic. This also seems relatively feasible in practice and probably would be very useful, keeping an open feedback loop is helpful in almost any situation!
Definitely very glad that I read this – my initial and current lesson plans are quite different!
October 18, 2014
I like the premise of Huston's book. Professors in small Liberal Arts Colleges are regularly asked to teach subjects that are outside of their immediate expertise. Although these courses are great learning experiences for both the professor and the student (it might actually be good for students as the "curse of knowledge" is less acute), it can be stressful. Huston offers practical advice on how to reduce the stress and enhance the experience for all. In the process she manages to convey good pedagogical advice for both new and "old" teachers alike. In this way, the book goes beyond discussing "teaching what you don't know" to actually covering "teaching' in general. My three stars reflects that the information in the book is readily available elsewhere. There is nothing new in the book, it is rather a compilation of resources useful for new teachers. As such it is useful.
January 7, 2013
I read this book because I assigned it to my Teaching Assistants (TAs) to read for the spring 2013 semester. I must say I was honored to have met the author and to have read the book. Although, I would no longer be considered a junior faculty, I have learned new ways of engaging my students, assigning manageable homework and reading assignments, implementing student-directed activities in the class and evaluating my teaching and student's comprehension of my learning objectives. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to all my teaching colleagues. I am looking forward to the engaging discussions I am likely to have with my TAs this semester.
July 19, 2013
Nothing less than outstanding. The title should have been "Teaching What You Don't Know and Teaching Effectively What You Do Know". Much of what I learned by picking the brains of many experienced instructors, and by hard knocks, is in this book, along with a whole lot more. Reasons for writing the book in the first chapter got a bit redundant, but after that the explanation of concepts and presentation of ideas were excellent.
March 19, 2011
Good starter book on teaching, not just teaching what you don't know. And I wish there were the use of the verb "learning" somewhere in the title... but it's decent and might be very helpful for new teachers or folks suddenly forced to teach new classes.
June 11, 2018
This is my 4th book for the club and one of the better ones I have read. It starts with the premise that is a theme in all of the teaching books I have read so far: the myth of content-matter expertise and good teaching. I feel like the whole teaching enterprise in higher education is built upon this notion, as evidenced by the lack of pedagogical training and professional development in graduate schools. And while content expertise is important, it's very low on the list of variables that lead to learning (see Hattie's Visible Learning for this list).
The idea of this book is that if one wants to teach at the college level, they need to be ready to teach outside of their expertise areas. Ironically enough, the author points out that the people with the most expertise tend to teach the least (full professors focused on research and adjunct-experts who work in the field and teach for the joy of it).
While this book is about teaching outside your expertise, I think the principles apply to any teaching situation. Some of the ones that resonnated with me:
Reach out and get help from colleagues. I asked several professors for help with pretty much every aspect of the course. The course reflects all of their ideas and strategies. Not only did it help with my confidence, but also saved a lot of time in planning.
Use case studies (or scenario analyses). Over the years, I have written about 25 scenarios based on my personal experience with evaluation. I think scenario analyses are helpful for teaching outside your expertise because they narrow the topic, making it more comfortable to teach.
Do not underestimate the amount of time it will take to plan a course outside your expertise. Imagine how long it will take to plan a brand new course. And then double it.
Establish credibility and remember it's not about content. The author points to research showing that professors don't establish credibility by being "smart" or content experts. Students assume all professors are content experts and don't really care. Professors establish credibility by respecting the students. This is demonstrated by things like quick feedback, showing up on time, or providing clear learning expectations. In that regard, teaching is like leadership - no one cares how smart you are, but they do want to know that you care.
Be geniune. The author borrows a line from Michael Berube, who lets the students in a new class know they are the "first pancake." It won't be perfect at first, but over the course of the semester it will be close.
The biggest fear. This is the big one: when a student asks a question and you don't know the answer. Even worse, when it's a question that is in your expertise area. This used to terrify me, but not so much anymore. The author recommends being honest and admitting you don't know, offering to find the answer later, or even asking if a student in the class knows the answer. Just don't fake it.
The book also includes a few chapters on classroom teaching and assessment strategies. This adds a level of practicality to the book. The book also spends time talking about the dynamics of race and gender in the classroom, and provides (I think) helpful advice for professors from underrepresented groups.
Teaching outside one's areas of expertise can seem scary and overwhelming. This book provides helpful advice for those with imposter syndrome anxiety and just general nervousness feel more confident. But it's not a pep-talk, inspirational kind of book. The author is clear that it takes a lot of work and energy to design a course, and that there will be failures along the way.
The idea of this book is that if one wants to teach at the college level, they need to be ready to teach outside of their expertise areas. Ironically enough, the author points out that the people with the most expertise tend to teach the least (full professors focused on research and adjunct-experts who work in the field and teach for the joy of it).
While this book is about teaching outside your expertise, I think the principles apply to any teaching situation. Some of the ones that resonnated with me:
Reach out and get help from colleagues. I asked several professors for help with pretty much every aspect of the course. The course reflects all of their ideas and strategies. Not only did it help with my confidence, but also saved a lot of time in planning.
Use case studies (or scenario analyses). Over the years, I have written about 25 scenarios based on my personal experience with evaluation. I think scenario analyses are helpful for teaching outside your expertise because they narrow the topic, making it more comfortable to teach.
Do not underestimate the amount of time it will take to plan a course outside your expertise. Imagine how long it will take to plan a brand new course. And then double it.
Establish credibility and remember it's not about content. The author points to research showing that professors don't establish credibility by being "smart" or content experts. Students assume all professors are content experts and don't really care. Professors establish credibility by respecting the students. This is demonstrated by things like quick feedback, showing up on time, or providing clear learning expectations. In that regard, teaching is like leadership - no one cares how smart you are, but they do want to know that you care.
Be geniune. The author borrows a line from Michael Berube, who lets the students in a new class know they are the "first pancake." It won't be perfect at first, but over the course of the semester it will be close.
The biggest fear. This is the big one: when a student asks a question and you don't know the answer. Even worse, when it's a question that is in your expertise area. This used to terrify me, but not so much anymore. The author recommends being honest and admitting you don't know, offering to find the answer later, or even asking if a student in the class knows the answer. Just don't fake it.
The book also includes a few chapters on classroom teaching and assessment strategies. This adds a level of practicality to the book. The book also spends time talking about the dynamics of race and gender in the classroom, and provides (I think) helpful advice for professors from underrepresented groups.
Teaching outside one's areas of expertise can seem scary and overwhelming. This book provides helpful advice for those with imposter syndrome anxiety and just general nervousness feel more confident. But it's not a pep-talk, inspirational kind of book. The author is clear that it takes a lot of work and energy to design a course, and that there will be failures along the way.
August 11, 2022
Read this during the pandemic. This book offers practical strategies for university professors who are tasked to teach on a topic outside of their areas of expertise. The various tips and advice can be summarized as follows: emphasize knowledge cultivation and co-creation, not top down transmission. The author proposes the adoption and projection of an attitude of intellectual curiosity in the classroom in which the “instructor” is more like a principal investigator, rather than an authoritative expert.
The book is case-study driven, expressed in a tone that is light-hearted and sometimes humorous. However, the book’s premise does point to a fairly serious reality in the academe, which is that teaching outside of one’s expertise is facet of job scarcity and employment insecurity, particularly among junior or untenured faculty. Tangentially, then, the book is also about the harsh realities of “academic precarity” and the consumer-oriented neiliberalization of the university.
The book seems aimed at junior professors, who may find some of the tips and methodologies infesting and useful on a practical level. But frankly I’m pretty sure that even more senior academics frequently experience bouts of impostor syndrome, so this book has some utility across the board.
The book is case-study driven, expressed in a tone that is light-hearted and sometimes humorous. However, the book’s premise does point to a fairly serious reality in the academe, which is that teaching outside of one’s expertise is facet of job scarcity and employment insecurity, particularly among junior or untenured faculty. Tangentially, then, the book is also about the harsh realities of “academic precarity” and the consumer-oriented neiliberalization of the university.
The book seems aimed at junior professors, who may find some of the tips and methodologies infesting and useful on a practical level. But frankly I’m pretty sure that even more senior academics frequently experience bouts of impostor syndrome, so this book has some utility across the board.
May 12, 2017
Read for faculty book club. I'm lucky enough now that I no longer have to teach subjects I don't know, although journalism is evolving so quickly there are always things within it that we can't keep up with. But this book has a lot of solid general teaching advice and introspection about how to think about it in better ways.
It is useful to think about how different our students are from us and how that impacts teaching....the number of hours students spend on schoolwork has dropped precipitously from when professors were in school. Also good insights on how complex it is when you have students with helicopter parents in the same room with students who are essentially supporting their families while in school - two completely different sets of issues, needs, desires, conflicting with each other and presenting challenges. The last chapter had a lot of insight into how administrators can support teachers, and what happens when they don't - burnout, usually. I'm very intrigued by creating a culture that actually supports academic teaching and creates community and camaraderie around it, which is something I've never seen but could make a huge difference.
It is useful to think about how different our students are from us and how that impacts teaching....the number of hours students spend on schoolwork has dropped precipitously from when professors were in school. Also good insights on how complex it is when you have students with helicopter parents in the same room with students who are essentially supporting their families while in school - two completely different sets of issues, needs, desires, conflicting with each other and presenting challenges. The last chapter had a lot of insight into how administrators can support teachers, and what happens when they don't - burnout, usually. I'm very intrigued by creating a culture that actually supports academic teaching and creates community and camaraderie around it, which is something I've never seen but could make a huge difference.
April 2, 2021
A very good book, but strongly geared toward academia. There's a lot of good material to help banish imposter syndrome, make the most of course planning and evaluations, and reduce preparation time by engaging students in their own learning. Truthfully, no one is an expert in everything, and this book deals with that fact very honestly and reassuringly. There is no end to learning, but academic culture makes it difficult to admit the limits of one's knowledge.
My interest in this book was to improve my delivery of a single-session, exam-review class. For my purposes, I felt the book was a little thin on technique for technical courses, where mastery of specific material is critical. Less than a third of the book deals with tactics, not all of which were readily applicable. (You have much more flexibility when your primary goal is to encourage intellectual inquiry and exploration among wide-eyed undergrads.)
My interest in this book was to improve my delivery of a single-session, exam-review class. For my purposes, I felt the book was a little thin on technique for technical courses, where mastery of specific material is critical. Less than a third of the book deals with tactics, not all of which were readily applicable. (You have much more flexibility when your primary goal is to encourage intellectual inquiry and exploration among wide-eyed undergrads.)
January 16, 2018
I enjoyed this book and think it would be a good resource to any teacher who is facing uncertainty about a course they're teaching. Huston addresses uncertainties about the materials, your own experience, and about the changing demographics of students in colleges and universities. She provides practical tips for managing time, getting feedback, and addressing your own weaknesses. 100 years ago the teaching profession looked very different, with the spread of information and lack of resources many departments face I think this will continue to grow as an issue for instructors and it's good to start a dialogue about how to manage teaching in areas that are outside our specialties.
September 7, 2018
,,My doctoral students are not as interested as I was in proving I could do this. They do not need to show the world they could have a job at the most prestigious school. And why are not they trying to do that? They say, 'In all honesty, Dr. Strober, I do not want to work as hard as you do.'" (str. 178)
September 24, 2023
Easy to read and thoroughly helpful for teaching what you aren't an expert in. An excellent introduction to college teaching in general as well. Very refreshing to be reminded that "expert" teaching is seldom what introductory students need anyway, and to have new tools in my toolkit (activities to teach and assessments for feedback)!
August 1, 2017
This book is geared towards college faculty teaching outside their area of expertise, but there are some useful suggestions for anyone teaching subject matter they're not super familiar with and some interesting bits of research.
April 12, 2022
A must read for anyone teaching at the college level. This book got me through my first semester teaching as a PhD student. Several of us read and discussed it as part of a teaching seminar. The activity ideas in the book are a great asset and incredible to have in your toolkit.
June 28, 2017
most of the pedagogy is what I know. I like the emphasis that institutions need to reframe the topic.
September 7, 2017
Best book for teaching practices - not only for "outside your area". Since it's impossible to know everything anyway.
November 5, 2017
This was handy to read as an instructional designer. Gave me strategies on supporting faculty as well as ways to engage students! Enjoyable and easy to read, as well, with some great resources!
April 30, 2021
Really interesting topic, readable, sensible advice.
May 16, 2025
It's full of applicable ideas, with a realistic perspective and helpful directions for approaching the book itself like skip to chapter X if you are in the middle of the semester.
July 17, 2023
A book that can calm down teachers who freak out in situations "OMG, how am I going to do this?" Relax, you are not the first one! The practice of "hey, you need to teach subject X next semester" seems to be more widespread than we may think.
July 3, 2011
Whatever else a professor is, s/he is supposed to be an expert. So what if you're teaching something in which you don't really qualify as an expert? After all, we can't be equally expert in everything, even within our own disciplines. But the financial and practical realities of postsecondary education make it likely that most faculty, especially junior and contract faculty, will end up teaching something they don't really know all that much about at some point in their careers. And we're so invested in the performance of mastery that admitting a lack of it can feel incredibly threatening. This is a really good book (with some horror stories that make me grateful that my department has never put me in a similarly painful position in my course assignments) full of common sense (of which we all need to be reminded occasionally) and coping strategies that are practical and reassuring. I found it enormously helpful. One criticism: The section on how different students are these days doesn't really fit in the book. Knowing something about our students is important and not knowing them makes our jobs harder and our teaching less effective, but not knowing whom we're teaching is a very different issue from not knowing what we're teaching, which is what the rest of the book is about, so the chapter feels out of place here.
July 9, 2014
Despite what its title suggests, "Teaching What You Don't Know" isn't just a book for those who are teaching what they don't know. It is geared towards everyone who teaches, offering tips and techniques for demystifying tough material and for promoting active learning by engaging EVERY student in your classroom, not merely the ones who like to talk.
Caveat emptor: if you teach high school or middle school, you need to modify some of the activities presented in order to fit a younger age group. For instance, a "fishbowl" discussion in a secondary-level classroom would become a real disaster, real quickly, if you used the "tap-in" technique that Huston advises!
But generally, this is a handy book, and I'm sure that most high school/middle school instructors (including yours truly) will find it a valuable resource.
Caveat emptor: if you teach high school or middle school, you need to modify some of the activities presented in order to fit a younger age group. For instance, a "fishbowl" discussion in a secondary-level classroom would become a real disaster, real quickly, if you used the "tap-in" technique that Huston advises!
But generally, this is a handy book, and I'm sure that most high school/middle school instructors (including yours truly) will find it a valuable resource.
July 1, 2012
Meh. I may be giving up on how-to-teach-better books. A lot of what's in them is either very general common sense tidbits or else relevant only to specific fields...which most often aren't mine. This book is no exception. I'll admit to skimming after about 30 pages in. I tried a few times to put it down and pick it back up days (or sometimes weeks) later, but the verdict remained the same.
The bright side is that there were several learner-centered classroom activities clearly and specifically detailed in one or two of the later chapters that I can either lift directly or adapt to fit some of the groups I'm working with. This was a nice surprise, actually.
Three stars for the activities and a strong central idea that needed more (and stronger) support.
The bright side is that there were several learner-centered classroom activities clearly and specifically detailed in one or two of the later chapters that I can either lift directly or adapt to fit some of the groups I'm working with. This was a nice surprise, actually.
Three stars for the activities and a strong central idea that needed more (and stronger) support.
January 29, 2015
Insightful and helpful suggestions for first-time instructors or instructors preparing to teach unfamiliar material. Even though I don't fall in this category, I found many useful resources in this book: assessment strategies, active learning strategies, etc.
Also, I appreciate that Huston discusses what many college-level instructors are hesitant to discuss. Sometimes we are given a class to teach that is not in our area of specialty, but since we are so hesitant to admit our lack of knowledge, we do not do a good job helping each help our students. My thanks to Huston for broaching the subject in a clear helpful manner.
Also, I appreciate that Huston discusses what many college-level instructors are hesitant to discuss. Sometimes we are given a class to teach that is not in our area of specialty, but since we are so hesitant to admit our lack of knowledge, we do not do a good job helping each help our students. My thanks to Huston for broaching the subject in a clear helpful manner.
May 3, 2010
I always thought that if I ever became a teacher, I would be teaching art or how to play the guitar. So my first teaching assignment is a Library 10A class, which is about searching the Internet. I have the textbook and the enthusiastic support of the Dean and the other librarians at PCC, but since I feel like this is all new to me, I'm going to read this book too.
It turns out that many teachers have far more difficult challenges than I do. It was interesting to read about the things that can happen, and what to do about them.
It turns out that many teachers have far more difficult challenges than I do. It was interesting to read about the things that can happen, and what to do about them.
November 3, 2015
Pretty good overview of how to teach an unfamiliar subject, which is the lot of many a college professor. I think what this book does best is to make you stop panicking, and give you a rough plan for how to plot the course. I'm not so sure about the ideas for mid-semester class assessments, since I haven't been on the receiving end of any of them and I think a student might think it weird if I gave one to them. But anyway. I think this put a lot of my fears as a grad student thinking of becoming a professor to rest. Though not all of them, by any shot!
December 7, 2012
I'm far from a teacher, per se, but as a software consultant I 'teach' customers and colleagues a lot. I found the book very interesting and useful to look at my 'teaching' opportunities in a different light. I know what I know (I'm not faking it with my customers, I promise), but to take some of the 'shortcuts' and tips from this book I think I can provide better service to my customers and colleagues.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews