Comments on: Teaching as a professor http://www.jbj.wordherders.net/2007/08/14/teaching-as-a-professor/ "A man needn't go far to find a subject, if he's ready with his salt-box."--Uncle Pumblechook Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:10:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: paraphernalian http://www.jbj.wordherders.net/2007/08/14/teaching-as-a-professor/#comment-772 paraphernalian Thu, 16 Aug 2007 01:43:15 +0000 http://www.jbj.wordherders.net/2007/08/14/teaching-as-a-professor/#comment-772 Great posts from both you and Dr. Crazy. As a grad student in the dissertating phase of the process, the time both of you take to thorough explain your positions 'on the other side' is appreciated. I have been frustrated in the past by professors who tell those of us still struggling through coursework, exams, etc. "you think this is hard--just wait until you're tenure track!" but then don't explain what they mean, leaving us discouraged, confused, and even more tired than we were before, thinking that what dim light there was at the end of a very long tunnel had just been extinguished. As a graduate student instructor, I also have felt very isolated from the undergrad community at my institution. I have often felt that I am just sort of starting to get the hang of this teaching thing when I suddenly find myself not teaching for another year, and then when I have to dust off the classroom skills a year later, I feel like I'm starting from scratch. I'm looking forward to a time when I feel like I know some of my students, like I understand their community a little bit better, and like I have a better idea of who I'm designing a syllabus before (besides the teaching fellowship committee)...even though I also know that there will be new pressures, responsibilities, and pains in the ass then, too. Great posts from both you and Dr. Crazy. As a grad student in the dissertating phase of the process, the time both of you take to thorough explain your positions ‘on the other side’ is appreciated. I have been frustrated in the past by professors who tell those of us still struggling through coursework, exams, etc. “you think this is hard–just wait until you’re tenure track!” but then don’t explain what they mean, leaving us discouraged, confused, and even more tired than we were before, thinking that what dim light there was at the end of a very long tunnel had just been extinguished.

As a graduate student instructor, I also have felt very isolated from the undergrad community at my institution. I have often felt that I am just sort of starting to get the hang of this teaching thing when I suddenly find myself not teaching for another year, and then when I have to dust off the classroom skills a year later, I feel like I’m starting from scratch. I’m looking forward to a time when I feel like I know some of my students, like I understand their community a little bit better, and like I have a better idea of who I’m designing a syllabus before (besides the teaching fellowship committee)…even though I also know that there will be new pressures, responsibilities, and pains in the ass then, too.

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