ABSTRACT
An extensive knowledge base is intimidating to students. You can help to reduce some of this anxiety by acknowledging what you yourself do not know. Discuss your own experience of acquiring knowledge. For example, you have the advantage over them of having read the books several times, repeatedly derived the statistics, solved similar problems, or had multiple experiences with the procedure. Control of the knowledge base is a function of repetition. Validate their feelings of inadequacy and tell them where you think they will be in the process at the end of the class and at the end of the program. Explain how the course will help them increase their control of these facts. Realism in the matter of our relative ignorance builds legitimacy.
