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I cannot believe that a year went by so fast.
This was a good semester, a bit smoother than last semester.
A year ago, my coworkers told me that teaching gets easier with time. I thought “yea, you are trying to reassure me. that’s nice…” but they were right.
I love teaching. I love it even more when I feel the energy and dedication coming from the students. The metaphor of a relationship is perfect when talking about the professor/student relationship. I always say that it is a two way relationship. Communication is crucial and empathy even more. Obviously, I can’t read minds. I would (maybe) like to but I can’t. I find it helpful when students share their concerns and struggles with me. I also found that sharing my honest opinions about class progress at different stages of the semester to be refreshing. I learned that from Jack Sprague. We have to be honest. Some people are cut for this more than others. I would never make a great accountant nor would I be a successful politician. (don’t get me wrong, some things about academia do get political…)
One thing I have to say though is that a dedicated and critical thinker (with some formal skills) can kick an exquisite yet lazy form maker’s ass. I have no tolerance for excuses. I have no tolerance for people who just sit there and never reach for something better.
I am not even sure what the purpose of this blabbering is…*sigh. I guess that’s why it is titled reflections. Reflections do not have to make sense…right?
A year. A year older
I question people’s perception of age.
What does it mean when people I meet are shocked that I am a full-time tenure track college professor? What does it mean when they say “you look so young”
Does “you look so young” = “really? are you even good?”
I do look young. and. I am young(er) than the typical full-time tenure track college professor. Does it matter? Does age affect credibility? Does the fact that I look and am younger affect people’s perception of me as a professor?
Yes. Of course.
It can go either way
1. “Gawd, she looks like she is 16. What can a 16 year old teach me that I do not already know? But on the other side, she must be easy…”
2. “Wow, how can someone so young be a full-time assistant professor? Maybe she is knowledgeable…”
I like #2 but really it has not been an issue other than the constant shock in people’s eyes 
I love design too much to hurt its growth and the upcoming designers!
++++
I guess I am making it a trend to reflect on my semesters
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Some people are born naturally to do things better than others. Take runners for example, the best sprinters will have more fast twitch muscle fibers than the best marathon runners, slow twitch muscle fibers.
Yes, the sprinter can become dedicated with hardwork to try to accomplish what the marathon runner has done, but the natural marathon runner just needs a small amount of hard work to continue to outpace the wannabe sprinter runner. vice versa
I remember Jack telling us how he can’t deal with a student telling him that their teachings failed them in the real world. I’m just talking from a physical training perspective and experience, but how does an academic professor in school deal with those who continue hard to try, harder than anyone, but will not surpass much? the average/the hobbyist
Comment by Andrew Bui May 7, 2009 @ 11:14 pmwe’re not all running the same race.
you can start by judging your progress in comparison with your self rather than the progress of others in your class.
being willing/dedicated/hard working often equals an open-ness towards self improvement, and that is what gets you farther than anything else.
our classmates and instructors are here to push us to be better… not to be better than them.
Comment by michael May 11, 2009 @ 6:12 amIt’s not true. Being honest only gets you in trouble. It makes you look weak and undetermined. People see your faults more easily and more quickly. They don’t ever let you reach beyond your failures and live up to what you will be, but they continually expect you to become what they have envisioned.
Like Andrew said, some people are born for different races. It’s a rough road for those who don’t know that they have been training for the wrong race… and when they reach the starting bracket of the right one, who is there to see the end of the marathon?
What DO you do about those who continue to try harder, but never surpass the other sprinters? Tell them that they aren’t trying? Tell them to run faster? Let them run the marathon. Don’t expect to see the finish. Put them on the right road and just let them go.
Comment by Mary May 12, 2009 @ 4:16 amBeing honest is about recognizing that sometimes what you want is not necessarily what is good for yourself. Unless one is willing to admit that to oneself, that person will be living in a world of lies. What I do about those who continue to try harder but never surpass the other sprinters? I would tell that person what his strengths are based on what I have seen. I would tell that person what his ‘weaknesses’ are based again on what I have seen. I would offer suggestions as to how to time manage if time management is the issue. I would provide suggestions as to how to focus if focus is the issue. After that, it is up to the student to work on improving and using his strength to his advantage, whether that is by staying in the race or running in a different race where his weaknesses will be strengths.
Michael: what you wrote is what my dad told me: “Be your own competition and challenge” but it can also be helpful to be challenged by others and by their questions. But…Sometimes, there is no one to challenge you, that is when you challenge yourself. I concur: healthy not nasty ‘competition’
Comment by michelewkf May 12, 2009 @ 4:48 amThen how can you judge who is “cut out for it” and who is not? If the point is to be self-actualizing and reaching for one’s own potential, who are the educators that have the right to say where people belong or what they should (and should not) be doing?
Comment by Mary May 12, 2009 @ 5:36 amMary, educators guide and suggest. The student then agrees or disagrees. It is consequently in the students’ hands to shape his/her future. Educators can predict based on past experiences. I don’t think any educator would intentionally guide a student in the wrong direction.
Comment by michelewkf May 13, 2009 @ 6:05 am