Every university student seems to have their fair share of stories pertaining to the unpleasant nature of certain professors. Some professors are extremely strict, some are scatterbrained, and some are hypocritical. There are those professors who are patronizing, monotonous, or simply unclear and unhelpful. We all sat through a terribly dull class with heavy eyelids and cloudy brains as our professor tediously reads verbatim chunks of text and slowly passes from one PowerPoint slide to the next. We try to engage and focus, but often, these professors and these classes leave us questioning the purpose of this whole education thing.
Many people will become academics but NOT everybody should become a teacher. Surely, not every university professor falls in line with the characteristics stated above. There is many a professor that is refreshingly amazing at their job, and for sake of this article, I’d like to call this professor, “The Good Prof”.
The Good Prof expresses a genuine care and concern for the wellbeing of their students, not just academically, but in every way. They share personal stories and struggles, forging a sense of relatability and allowing their students to humanize them and connect with them. The Good Prof exudes a passion and enthusiasm towards the subject matter to which they are teaching. If they are not expressing at least the slightest bit of interest towards the content, how can they expect their student to? Nothing feels more pointless than sitting in a classroom and digesting information that holds no interest to you. The Good Prof can make even the most complicated or abstract topics seem graspable and maintainable, employing various teaching styles to reach all of their students. The Good Prof encourages open and free dialogue and their classroom is a safe space where there are no stupid questions, every comment has value, and the students feel that they can express themselves without judgment.
The Good Prof, when appropriate, branches away from the textbook to lead discussions from their wisdom and experience, encouraging their students to grow into their full potential. The Good Prof makes themselves accountable for mistakes, and available and approachable for support outside of class hours. The Good Prof is consistent and maintains a class structure, clear expectations of students, and a sense of authority. The Good Prof is so full of positivity and fervor that their lecture becomes something to look forward to every week. The Good Prof expands the collective understanding, knowledge and consciousness of their classroom. The Good Prof reminds us of why we are here; to learn and to grow.
We have all likely had a decent amount of both unimpressive professors and fabulous ones. Having the opportunity to learn from experienced, kind, and impassioned professors is not a guarantee in university…it’s a blessing. The Good Prof brings so much purpose to the classroom that you as the student feel inspired and compelled to engage and participate. The Good Prof is a memorable one, that person we will reflect back on in twenty years and say, “I loved that prof! I loved that class! That professor alone made my whole school experience worth it!”