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With imminent changes approaching for the faculty and staff of RC, I find that I evaluate my time in the classroom far more than I used to. In previous semesters, I could have told you if I did or did not like a professor, as well as a general reason why that was the case. However, I don’t think I analyzed my classroom experiences to the extent that I do now.
You see, I’m trying to figure out what it is that distinguishes an “O.K.” professor from a “great” professor in the eyes of students (and I’m not talking about the age-old query asking whether or not the professor in question doles out heaps of homework. Let’s go a little deeper than that, shall we?).
I’m honestly unaware of what considerations Rochester College will take into account when making decisions on faculty changes. However, through some of the time I’ve spent analyzing my own time in class, I’ve come across a few qualities that will always be on the top of my “This Is a Great Professor” list.
First, and I believe most important, the professor must be truly passionate about what he or she is teaching, as well as about the teaching itself. I believe that in almost all cases, the students’ level of excitement and interest in the subject is directly dependent on the professor’s enthusiasm. I think this can apply to any class, regardless of whether it’s a class you took because you were interested in it, or simply because you were required to take it.
This quality made it to the top of my list last semester. The class was Logic, at 8 o’clock in the morning, with Dr. Rubel Shelly. I’ll be honest and say that I’m not really a morning person. And though I enjoy logic and debate, it isn’t likely that I’m going to be a great philosopher. Yet, despite those details, the fact that Dr. Shelly came to class practically jumping up and down over the principles we were learning put Logic up toward the very top of my list that semester. He spent hours answering our confused questions about fallacies, syllogisms and the square of opposition, among many other things. And although the concepts we learned taxed my brain at times, I loved going to a class where the professor obviously enjoyed both being in the classroom and the material we were covering.
Another important quality I look for in professors is their ability to communicate clearly. Ultimately, a professor could be the smartest person in the world, but unless he/she can communicate in a way students will understand and comprehend, I’m afraid it doesn’t help anybody. The rest of us are still in the dark.
I love being in class with professors who thoroughly know their subject. I like to be able to ask questions and know that either my professor will have the answer, or he/she will help me find it.
Finally, I think that in many ways, professors can make or break students’ experience in college. Bad professors can make you miserable, and good professors can give a lot of motivation and encouragement. They can become important role models, especially when they are willing to invest in their students’ lives, even outside of the classroom.
Through some of my classroom analysis over the past few semesters, I have a mental list of the few great professors I know. The faculty changes make me appreciate them all the more, as the realization sets in that some of RC’s faculty might not always be around to influence students such as myself.
1 comments
i always enjoy reading your thoughts