Overteach

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To instruct excessively or beyond what is necessary in educational settings
2. to overwhelm students with information that may exceed their capacity to learn effectively
3. to provide an abundance of teaching that may hinder rather than enhance understanding and retention

Etymology: "Overteach" is a plain formation: the prefix "over-", meaning excessively or beyond the proper amount, attached to the ordinary verb "teach." The pattern is productive in English, so the word follows the same logic as "overcook" or "overthink," meaning to teach beyond what is useful or wise. The word "teach" itself goes back to Old English "tǣcan," meaning to show or point out, and the prefix "over-" has been used this way since Old English as well. Combining them produces a sense that is easy to grasp from the parts alone, which is why the word needs little explanation.