PRINCIPLES AND STRATEGIES IN TEACHING MLS
CHAPTER 3: BASIC PRINCIPLES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
AND THEIR APPLICATION TO HEALTH EDUCATION
PILLARS OF THE TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS
• The three pillars of the teaching-learning process are
the:
1. Teacher
2. Learner
3. Subject-matter
• Each component has its own contribution to the
whole process of teaching and learning. Studies
have shown that:
o The vital role of the teacher is motivating
students to learn
o Inspiring them to get out their comfort
zones, to stretch and develop the 98%
portion of their brain which is still untapped
and unused.
TEACHER FACTOR
• According to Wagner and Ash (1998), “the role of the
educator is not primarily to teach, but to promote
learning and to provide for an environment
conducive to learning – to create the teachable
moment rather than just waiting for it to happen.
• Learners can always identify the best teacher who is
also the most effective and the worst who is also the
weakest. The effective teacher possesses certain
qualities, characteristics and attitudes which make
them one of the most approachable and respected
members of the faculty.
THE EFFECTIVE TEACHER
• Is looked up to as a role model who is worthy of
imitation and emulation
• Exhibits professional competence by showing
thorough knowledge of the
• subject matter and demonstration of the proper skills
in teaching
• Shows willingness to learn new roles and
teaching methods.
• Possesses the ability to reflect on or assess her
performance
• Has the desire to improve oneself and succeed.
EFFECTIVE TEACHERS (FLOWERS, 2000)
1. Committed, that is, they don’t watch the clock, they
go the extra mile and work long hours
2. Creative, meaning they stimulate intellectual
inquisitiveness as well as exploratory and critical
thinking.
3. Intuitive, meaning, the teacher can identify the
student’s predominant style of intelligence and
based on this knowledge, the teacher is able to build
on the student’s strength.
THE SIX (6) HALLMARKS OF GOOD OR EFFECTIVE
TEACHING ARE
1. Professional competence which are evidenced by:
• Thorough knowledge of the subject matter
and proper demonstration of skills
• Reading, researching, and undertaking
Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
and has clinical practice and expertise.
2. Possession of skillful interpersonal relationships
with the students which was rated as the most
important. The teacher:
• Takes personal interest in the welfare of the
student
• Is fair and just especially in giving grades
and credits to students
• Is sensitive to their feelings and problems
• Conveys respect for their students
• Allows learners to freely express
themselves and ask questions
• Is accessible for conferences and
consultations
• Conveys a sense of warmth.
3. Desirable personal characteristics of the teacher
which include charisma, or personal magnetism,
enthusiasm, cheerfulness, self-control, patience,
flexibility, sense of humor, good speaking voice, self-
confidence, willingness to admit error or lack of
knowledge and a caring attitude.
4. Teaching practices which include:
• Mechanics
• Methods
• Skills in the classroom and clinical practice:
o The teacher has thorough
knowledge of the subject
matter, and
o Presents the materials in clear,
interesting, logical, and
organized manner.
5. Evaluation practices which include
• Clearly communicating expectations
• Providing timely feedback on student
progress
• Correcting the student tactfully
• Being fair in the evaluation processes
• Giving tests that are pertinent to the subject
matter and assignments
6. Availability to students especially in the
laboratory, clinical and other skills application
areas which are mostly marked by stressful and/or
critical situations or scenarios
• Instructor’s dilemma is being in two or more
places at the same time
• This can be remedied by communicating
where he/she can be located and endorsing
the students to a knowledgeable member of
the staff during her period of absence in the
area.
OTHER IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF A TEACHER
INCLUDE:
• Teacher clarity deals with behaviors that teachers
use to make what is to be learned as intelligible,
comprehensible, and learnable as possible.
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 • Teacher style involves interpersonal, professional, and the student’s response to rise to that challenge
and personal aspects of good teaching. with the teacher’s encouragement and support.

7. Respecting the diverse talents and ways of learning

THREE BASIC APPROACHES BY WHICH THE since learners have different learning styles which
INSTRUCTOR CAN INCREASE SELF-ESTEEM AND the teacher must be able to identify so that she could
REDUCE ANXIETY ARE THROUGH: use different teaching strategies, approaches, and
1. Empathic listening by listening to the learner and methods.
seeing him/her through his/her eyes.
2. Accepting the learners as they are whether you like
them or not; avoid imposing your own prejudices or
standards.
3. Communicating honestly with your students by
letting them know what your expectations are and
what their responsibilities are.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EXCELLENT PROFESSOR

1. A strong desire to be good through conscientious
and hard work.
2. The good teacher cares about students, knows when
to set boundaries, knows the student’s potential and
adopts the philosophy of “good teaching is a form of
parenting.”
3. A good teacher is concerned with more than just
what the students know and is also concerned with
the students’ values, beliefs, and relationships. In
short, “a good teacher care.”

SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE TEACHING IN

UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
1. Encourage interaction between the teacher and the
learner which refers to effective teacher
characteristics and to what the teacher does in the
learning environment to motivate the student to
actively participate and ask questions in the learning
process.
2. Elicit cooperation among the students to do
collaborative learning through study groups,
undertaking group projects and other group activities
(Studies have shown that students learn more
collaboratively than competitively).
3. Students should engage in active learning where
they can pro-actively manipulate the content of what
they are learning by talking about the material,
writing about it, making an outline about it, applying
it, asking questions about it, acting it out or just
reflecting upon it.
4. Giving prompt feedback related to class recitations,
quizzes, major exams or other written works and
projects serves as a reward or positive reinforcement
for a job well done and for any commendable
behavior or attitude exhibited by the learner.
5. Emphasizing time on task where the teacher makes
sure that the student knows how much time they
should spend learning a particular material and by
using time efficiently (knowing how to study, do
library research, or work on their projects). This
refers to proper, effective, and intelligent time
management.
6. Communicating higher expectations which refer to
the challenge that the teacher gives to the student

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