"Within the framework of a humanistic and personal approach to teaching, Kenneth Eble zeroes in on particulars of the professor's art as few writers have done and provides specific advice and realistic suggestions to improve the teaching of all college instructors. He examines and refutes ten common assumptions about teaching practices, including the beliefs that teaching is not doing, that the popular teacher is a bad teacher, and that a knowledge of the subject is all that is necessary to teach it. He discusses how to establish the right classroom atmosphere and circumvent rigid routines; how to conduct a good discourse as an alternative to lecturing; and new ways of dealing with assignments, grading, testing, and choosing texts. Eble offers humane and candid suggestions for handling difficult and awkward situations that arise in the classroom--cheating, plagiarism, classes that go sour, students who deliberately confront the teacher, and more. And, finally, he details concrete ways that graduate schools--currently remiss in the preparation of teachers--can provide practice aimed at achieving teaching and competence."--Jacket.