Your teacher is one of thousands nationwide who has been trained to implement this instructional approach. Therefore, your instructor has been trained to avoid “teaching by telling,” since that does not reflect the true nature of science. Instead, they will empower you to construct your own deep understanding of STEM principles. Your teacher will ask leading questions and encourage discussion among the students in class.
If you are used to viewing the instructor as the “source of knowledge” you might find this approach uncomfortable at first. But most students come to appreciate being in a class where the instructor encourages them to express their own ideas by asking, “How do you know that?” and “Why do you think that?” Research shows that students in a class where they are actively engaged consistently outperform those in traditional classes.
Do your best not to get frustrated when your instructor answers question with more questions. He or she is simply trying to get you to think the matter through on your own. In the long run, your ability to frame a thoughtful question or convincingly express your position during a discussion will be far more useful than being able to spout back “factons” that you have memorized. If you talk to your instructor about the class, you will find that he or she is genuinely interested in a dialogue with you. Eventually, you will come to wish that all of your courses were taught in this manner.
