On Episode 608 of Teaching in Higher Ed, I welcome Sheila Tabanli, faculty member at Rutgers University and creator of a course on effective study strategies for mathematics, to the show. Together, Sheila helps us explore how to overcome the “curse of expertise” and how to foster more inclusive and compassionate teaching practices.

Sheila Tabanli shares insights drawn from her experience teaching introductory calculus and her development of a pedagogical model rooted in compassion, community, and cognitive apprenticeship. The conversation delves into balancing rigor with empathy, supporting students as self-regulated learners, and using research-backed strategies like retrieval practice to deepen understanding. Sheila Tabanli also reflects on her personal journey as a first-generation immigrant, the importance of building community in the classroom, and ways faculty can connect with students’ learning experiences by occasionally stepping into the shoes of a novice themselves.

Resources from the episode:

• Guidebook for Reducing the Novice-to-Expert Perception Gap in Mathematics to Increase STEM Diversity, by Sheila Tabanli
• Minding the Perception Gap in College Math Classrooms and Beyond, by Sheila Tabanli for Inside Higher Ed
• Last-Day Activities Ideas from Sheila Tabanli, Featured In The Chronicle of Higher Education Teaching Newsletter
• Fostering Active Learning and Metacognitive Skills in a Cognitive-Science Based Math Course, by Sheila Tabanli for the International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
• Powerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning, by Pooja Agarwal and Patrice Bain
• A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science, by Linda Oakley
• Learning How to Learn: Powerful Mental Tools to Help You Master Tough Subjects, Dr. Terrence Sejnowski and Dr. Barbara Oakley
• Episode 106: Undercover Professor with Mike Cross
• College Matters Podcast

Episode topics:

• Overcoming the Curse of Expertise in Teaching
• Navigating Discipline Demands vs. Actual Student Learning
• Compassion and High Expectations in Inclusive Pedagogy
• Building Community in the Classroom
• Cognitive Apprenticeship: Modeling Expert Thinking
• The Perception Gap Between Novices and Experts
• Retrieval Practice as a Key Evidence-Informed Strategy
• Chunking Knowledge vs. Overloading Students
• Asset-Based Approaches in STEM Education

Discussion questions:

1. How does the “curse of expertise” show up in your own teaching, and what strategies could you use to bridge the gap between expert and novice perspectives?
2. Sheila Tabanli developed a course focused on effective study strategies for mathematics. What are the benefits and challenges of explicitly teaching students how to learn, and not just course content?
3. Both speakers discussed the tension between covering required content and ensuring deep learning. Where do you see this tension in your discipline, and how do you address it?
4. The three components of Sheila Tabanli’s 3C pedagogical model are compassion, cognitive apprenticeship, and community. Which component do you find most challenging to cultivate, and why?
5. Cognitive apprenticeship involves modeling expert thinking for students. What does this look like in your classroom, and how do you make your thinking visible to learners?
6. Sheila Tabanli shared the importance of being a novice to better understand students' experiences. Can you recall a time when being a learner in an unfamiliar context changed your perspective on teaching?
7. The episode ends by emphasizing asset-based approaches, acknowledging students’ strengths rather than focusing on what they lack. How could reframing your view of students’ abilities change your pedagogical approach or classroom culture?

Next Week’s Episode

On the upcoming episode of Teaching in Higher Ed, Theresa Duong from the University of California, Irvine, joins me to talk about pedagogical wellness.

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