One of the most incredible things about being a student in a university is the feeling of being respected in an academic sense. For most of my life as a young adult I have struggled with the fact that in a room full of adults, my opinions and ideas are not necessarily going to be heard or taken to heart. During holiday gatherings and family outings, I was always on the edge of my seat hoping one day someone might bend their ear in my direction and actually listen to what I had to say.
Here at CNU, students are given the opportunity to figure out what they love and form their own intelligent opinions on a plethora of topics. We are given voices, and a voice is an empowering thing to possess. College is the time to ask questions, make assertions, and step out of our comfort zones in and out of the classroom. For this to be a successful endeavor, the mediators, better known as the professors, must provide an environment in which this is possible.
The incident that sparked this piece is something that many college students have experience with – which is a problem. While discussing in class many a topic ranging from religion to feminism (it is important to note the polarized stances that can be taken on these issues), a professor of mine (to be left unnamed) was not able to conjure up that environment where it is okay to be vulnerable.
I’m the first to admit that I do not know everything. My life experience is short, and I’m definitely taking advantage of the fact that there are brilliant brains to pick and learn from here. That being said, I am also a firm believer in the idea that everyone is entitled to have their opinion respected, no matter who they are or how much knowledge they possess. So when I was sitting in a classroom filled with my peers and my professor decided it was appropriate to LAUGH at the claims I was making before I was even finished speaking, I felt incredibly disrespected. This is an institution of higher learning, not a place to be belittled. In no way does this one professor reflect the entire university; it is just an example of a travesty that occurs on many college campuses today. Â
Photo courtesy of Vashaun Brandon
We are trained from day one to be under the assumption that when it comes to opinions and ideas there is a right answer and a wrong answer and somehow being wrong has the negative stigma of failure attached to it. To be wrong is not to fail. To be wrong is just to be human. No one person can be right all the time and that is perfectly acceptable. We learn from our mistakes. Our mistakes make us stronger. By allowing mistakes to be corrected in the university, we grow intellectually.
By laughing at a student when they are opening themselves up and trying to expand their minds at their most vulnerable is unacceptable. If a student shows that they respect his or her professor by engaging, the last thing the professor should do is disrespect him or her. A student’s job is to ask questions and form opinions, a professor’s job is to help foster their students’ development. When respect is shown from both parties, students can do what they are meant to do in the classroom: learn.Â