TITLE: Teaching and students
QUESTION [13 upvotes]: Sometimes I get stumped by students' questions in my classes I teach. I am an algebraist by training and have just started teaching. Sometimes I have to teach analysis courses. My question is: Is it normal to get stumped by questions from students in fields that are not your expertise?
Are there any ways to prevent this from happening? Or does it just come from teaching experience?

REPLY [19 votes]: Pete Clark has done a nice job answering Rachel J's question. I'll reiterate one of his points with an anecdote of my own. When I began teaching at the undergraduate level 20 years ago, I asked one of my professors for general advice. She said, "If a student asks you a question you can't answer straightaway, say, 'I don't know. But this is how I would go about answering your question.'" It is quite natural to be "stumped." It may be helpful to think of the classroom as a place of learning rather than as a place of instruction. One of the ways students learn is by observing someone who has a bit more experience answer difficult questions.