You probably don’t realize it, but I enjoyed your class a lot. You made the subject matter interesting for me, made me want to come to class willingly, as well as made my semesters a little less stress-free than normal. If you’re a student, you can probably empathize with my situation and have probably had a professor who’s got you login’ your life. Some might call me dramatic, but a professor and their teaching style can make or break your GPA. These are the five types of professors who’ve impacted my university career so far:
1) The practical professor:
This is the professor who ensures that they mention their practical experience in every single class and ensures that everyone knows they’re a BIG DEAL. This can be interesting, and apply to our lives. Plus, it motivates students, including myself, to be more attentive. Fortunately, I have a professor who does this a lot, and his examples apply exceptionally well to my career. He is cognizant of student backgrounds, and understands that students may be going into the same field as him. Additionally, it adds to time in-class and makes the discussion more worthwhile.
2) The prof who enforces discipline:
Now, this is the professor who has a “no phone” policy in a class of a 100 students, or it could also mean having 4-question tests. These tests are four questions to ensure that most of the class studies hard (getting 2 questions wrong is a 50%). Although this can lead to a skewed class average, it’ll force students to learn the material super well, as well as readily take on challenges. I usually end up doing super well in these sorts of classes, because I’m just THAT determined.
3) The new prof:
This is the professor who struts into class, on the first day, and everyone thinks they’re a random student. It isn’t until you see them awkwardly standing at the podium and introducing yourself that you think they might be a teaching assistant. But then they say something like, “I will be your instructor this semester.” Everyone’s excited because let’s be real everyone likes a newbie. This professor is experimenting with teaching strategies to accommodate different learning styles, and incorporating videos into the discussion. They’re experimenting with everything, and it can be a fun process.
4) The approachable prof:
Have you ever motivate yourself to go to a prof’s office hours? You give yourself this huge pep-talk, do the trek to their office, and then you knock on their door. They open the door and everything that ensues is so wonderful. They’re welcoming, smile at you, and clearly want you there. This leads to future possibilities of you going to get help. Some professors claim to be approachable, but when you go to their office hours their countenance, body language, and curt responses says otherwise. However, these professors are different and add to your learning experience, because they help you grow as a person. They allow you to work on your confidence, stepping outside your comfort zone, and taking challenges head-on. For many of us, this can be challenging.
5) The Philosopher:
This is the professor who spends two hours, out of a three-hour lecture, on the syllabus. They are able to stay focused, don’t go off on a tangent, and make you understand concepts. For instance, I find the issue of mental health very interesting and pivotal to my career interests. The professor spent twenty minutes on a slide on depression discussing his view on the subject matter, and this greatly facilitated my learning. It made me ponder over questions and think about mental health in a totally new light.
If you have any of these professors, this semester, you are in luck! We’re in dire need of good faculty, so you have been blessed, my friend. As always, push through, and strive to put your best foot forward.