2008 Woodie Awards
Showing some professor appreciation
Elisabeth Hogue, Production Manager
Issue date: 12/7/05 Section: Opinion
Serving coffee may not seem like a connection to the world, but I have met so many different kinds of people in so many different walks of life its amazing.
This morning I met a fourth grade teacher who was very excited and enthusiastic to go and teach her class that she was glowing with delight. She got coffee at about 6:30am before even the sun was up, yet you could tell that she couldn't wait to start teaching. She just needed a little pick me up before she put her all into her lesson plan that would mold young minds.
I appreciate this kind of beauty in a teacher because I feel like today so many people teach because they don't really know what else to do. Even some professors, I have found, lack that fascination with what they are teaching about which inevitably gets us interested and fascinated as well.
There are a couple professors that are ruining it for the rest. They are teaching in a way that lets the students know that they don't care and that makes it so that the students don't care either. I have had professors who have taught as an obligation and I'm telling you that it shows and it is obvious to all of us.
One professor, no longer at SSU, told the class every time we came in that he knew we didn't want to be in class although he never heard us express it. He ended up teaching 15 out of the 50 minutes we were there because most of the time was spent whining about how we didn't care.
The bottom line is, if a professor cares about their topic, most of the time can get the class in on it. A lot of students are not reachable, but the students who want to be here, are going to be intrigued by what professors have to say if they themselves are interested.
At SSU I have experienced some professors that have discouraged my learning process but also many that have changed my life. Teachers in general must realize their role is to help people grow, no matter what the age. Professors have the difficult job of molding students that already feel like they have a pretty good hold on who they are.
This morning I met a fourth grade teacher who was very excited and enthusiastic to go and teach her class that she was glowing with delight. She got coffee at about 6:30am before even the sun was up, yet you could tell that she couldn't wait to start teaching. She just needed a little pick me up before she put her all into her lesson plan that would mold young minds.
I appreciate this kind of beauty in a teacher because I feel like today so many people teach because they don't really know what else to do. Even some professors, I have found, lack that fascination with what they are teaching about which inevitably gets us interested and fascinated as well.
There are a couple professors that are ruining it for the rest. They are teaching in a way that lets the students know that they don't care and that makes it so that the students don't care either. I have had professors who have taught as an obligation and I'm telling you that it shows and it is obvious to all of us.
One professor, no longer at SSU, told the class every time we came in that he knew we didn't want to be in class although he never heard us express it. He ended up teaching 15 out of the 50 minutes we were there because most of the time was spent whining about how we didn't care.
The bottom line is, if a professor cares about their topic, most of the time can get the class in on it. A lot of students are not reachable, but the students who want to be here, are going to be intrigued by what professors have to say if they themselves are interested.
At SSU I have experienced some professors that have discouraged my learning process but also many that have changed my life. Teachers in general must realize their role is to help people grow, no matter what the age. Professors have the difficult job of molding students that already feel like they have a pretty good hold on who they are.