ITC: 131 – Employing the Thayer Method: An Active Teaching Strategy

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In the Classroom with Stan Skrabut: Episode 131
Last Updated on: October 21, 2026

Colonel Sylvanus Thayer, the “father of the Military Academy,” developed an active learning method that the academies have used for over 200 years. It was perhaps the best instruction I ever received, if not the most memorable.

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While I attended the United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School as a cadet candidate, the staff used the Thayer Method of Instruction on me. With this method, students can recognize problems, think logically, define solutions using resources they possess and those they can acquire, and finally, they can communicate clearly and logically.

It is definitely learner-centric as students are responsible for their own learning.

This week we are going to examine the Thayer Method of Instruction and its components.

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