Teaching Methods for Inspiring the Students of the Future | Joe Ruhl | TEDxLafayette

Collaboration. Communication. Critical thinking. Creativity. - Should be present in all classrooms.

Joe Ruhl received his bachelors and masters degrees at Purdue University and he has been sharing the joys of biology with kids for 37 years. He presently teaches Biology, Genetics, and Science Research courses at Jefferson High School in Lafayette, Indiana. Joe and his wife Gail have two children and two grandchildren. The National Association of Biology Teachers named Joe Ruhl the Outstanding Biology Teacher of Indiana in 1987. In 1988 he was awarded a Golden Apple Teaching Award by the Lafayette, Indiana Chamber of Commerce. In 1989 he was honored at the White House as Indiana’s recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching. In 1996 he received the Purdue University College of Science Distinguished Alumnus Award for Excellence in K-12 Science Teaching. In 2004 he was awarded the Purdue College of Education’s Crystal Apple Teaching Award. And in 2012 he was honored with the Shell National Science Teaching Award.

[louiefurio]

I didn't even cry in Titanic but when he said "what the kids are gonna remember most of all is you", I shed a tear

[Levylevy]

He truly puts the students first and removes himself as being the focal point. This is the future of education. You become a facilitator rather than a traditional teacher.

[aylaeh]

Mr Ruhl was my genetics teacher when I was in high school. I generally hated science before I took that class. But I chose to take it because I knew I would need it for college and I'm so glad I did. I learned so much in that class and ever since then genetics has fascinated me. I remember doing the labs with my lab partner Mary. I remember joking around with Mr Ruhl and my classmates.

About a year and a half later when I was in college I had to take a genetics class. after the first lecture I went up to the professor and told him that I had taken genetics and that Mr Ruhl was my teacher. he looked at me and he said well then you will recognize every single one of the labs that we do. The professor was not a very good one so it is only because of Mr Ruhl that I passed my college genetics class. And it is because of him that the people that sat around me and were friends with me passed that class. Because of how he taught that class I was able to tell those that I studied with what the professor was trying to teach to us.

And it comes full circle. My niece who is about 7 years old told me earlier this year that when she grows up she wants to be a geneticist. I had recently discovered a children's book about Gregor Mendel so I purchased it for her for her birthday. If you know anything about Mr Ruhl you may know that in the past he has dressed up as Gregor Mendel.

He is an amazing teacher and I am always grateful that I chose to take his genetics class. And by the way, I did write to him and tell him that I very much appreciated having him as a teacher when I was in high school.

[Laurelin]

As a teacher at the beginning of my career, I will save this and watch it everyday until it becomes MY way of teaching.

[leocrampton]

This was my freshman year honors Biology teacher. Loved his class and style of teaching. Thank you for everything Mr. Ruhl

[amira]

1. Let the kids have choices
2. Teacher must have research based teachnique
3. Let student to be engaged with Choice, Critical Thinking, Colloboration, Creativity, Communication

[tonyporter]

The challenge is not believing in a student centered classroom but in making it happen. It requires knowledge, experience, commitment and daring.

[all-things-under-heaven]

Brilliant!
His last sheet sums it up:

Allow students to engage in:
1) Choice
2) Collaboration
3) Communication
4) Critical Thinking
5) Creativity
6) Love for the students

[joninio]

My professional life became so much more rewarding and easier when I stopped being a lecturer and became a facilitator of learning. Inspiring talk Mr Ruhl, thank you.

[eddygan]

Allow students to engage in:
1) Choice
2) Collaboration
3) Communication
4) Critical thinking(problem solving)
5) Creativity
6) Caring / Love

[rachelthedogmum]

Because the greatest of these, is love. That was powerful.

[ceri]

This is exactly why I liked being in uni much more than being in high school. We can sit down and have discussions with our professors about complex medical problems, and we share our interests with our teachers. I've even had several teachers notice my enthusiasm (despite me being very low-key most of the time) and run through the clinic halls (animal hospital) going "I HAVE A CASE FOR YOU!" this year. It makes learning more fun.

[PrtugueseRedMn]

From the beginning of the video you can see he is a good teacher. He loves his job, he loves his students. That's number 1 ingredient

[AkashVerma-isoi]

What makes a beautiful talk is that it touches your soul and extracts your dreams out of numerous pieces of documentation you are doing as a curriculum developer while sitting in front of the screen. Mr. Joe Ruhl, you inspire! Extremely beautiful talk.

[gisl]

I loved, so many teachers. Not because I was a smart, precious student but because, they were amazing teachers. I think of them so often that I worry for their wellbeing. I can comfortably say that I think of them as my parents. They are secondary parents to me. No one else besides my parents and my relatives has given their time for me as they did. It is crazy how important they are to me. All of them under one roof, it was unique itself. There are no words to describe it. They are the type of people who would worry for their students at night, sparing their sleep time. I want to see them again. The world is not fair.

[TheGameInformant]

So much passion, even after 37 years of teaching. Certainly going to remember the 6 C's for my classroom. Thank you TedX for possibly one of the most engaging and noteworthy videos to date.

[jurenekemp]

Thank you for this inspirational "lecture", as teachers we usually tend to become a little selfish just because WE are trying to survive, but in the process we "forget" that the students/kids in front of us are ALSO TRYING TO SURVIVE. In order for both parties to survive, we HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER by ACKNOWLEDGING each others' needs. Unfortunately teachers fall into a big hole of issues dealing with discipline, but we need to start doing things DIFFERENTLY in order to draw our students' attention in a more positive, creative and exciting way. Our students are humans just like teachers and teachers are just as human as their students, that's why we need to approach our students in a way that we as teachers would like to be approached. Our students should have more confidence and boldness to interact and communicate with us. YES! KIDS REMEMBER US, THEIR TEACHER - This alone is a phrase that we should put up as motivation to ourselves, the fact that THEY will REMEMBER THEIR TEACHERS! WOW! We should climb into THEIR world and become more like them (in a certain kind of way...lol) to be able to understand them better so that they realise that WE, THE TEACHERS, are ACKNOWLEDGING THEM and considering their needs in such a way that we want them to ENJOY LEARNING THROUGH US, THEIR TEACHERS, who should also remember the most important component of our "job", to LOVE OUR STUDENTS SO MUCH THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO "HATE " US, BUT LOVE US BACK - All this because of our CREATIVITY in making their learning environment HUMANLY PLEASUREABLE.

[reeeec]

This genuinely made me teary. I'm still a education student yet his speech made me more inspired to become a teacher. Gonna watch this video again, and again, and again till I become a learner centred teacher.

[blogger]

I've been watching TED for over 2-3 years but this is among the very few times I am writing in this comment box for a TED talk. This is brilliant and I am inspired. Thank you.

[vivianwiajik]

As a student teacher I am glad I watched this, will apply this when I become a Teacher in few months.