Big pants, no shoes?

So, I have this professor this semester. Let's call him Professor P(x). I must say, he is extremely refreshing after some of the ordeals I've been through since I've been back to school. I'd consider him to be the epitomy of eccentricity -- a true genius in every sense of the word. Our class is an 80 minute class. In a recent class, he started by spending about 20 minutes regrouping his thoughts after several meetings he had earlier in the day. He then began teaching. Every 30 seconds, he'd face the blackboard, yank his pants up (which I was very thankful for), and turn around to continue teaching. He periodically hops up on the desk in the room, kicks off his shoes (literally), sits with his legs crossed on the desk, and starts talking as if we were at a campfire. (All together now! "Kum-bah-ya...") Sometimes he gets bored with the material he's teaching, and starts sharing stories of his past experiences while at Harvard, sharing class notes with Bill Gates. (Poor P(x) continued his education, while Mr. Gates dropped out and earned the big bucks.) But, somehow, through all of this, he manages to teach the material, and gets several laughs out of everyone through the process. I'm not sure if this is the best approach for everyone, but I've been learning a lot from him. After considering all of my graduate classes I've been through, this is one that is going to really stick out in my head for years to come.

As I continue down this path, with the goal of becoming a professor myself, one skill that they don't teach professors is how to teach! Many institutions hire you with NO teaching experience. Can you believe it?!?!? I find this to be insane! Every professor has gained their position without any formal training in pedagogic skills. And, frankly, it shows with many professors. I think many of them can teach, but they simply lack interest. They are there for research purposes, and consider teaching to be an inconvenience -- something that gets in the way of their real goals in research. (After all, it's the research that pays the university bills, not teaching. Teaching is overhead.) Other professors that I've encountered over the past 15 years lack skills to properly impart knowledge to students and inspire learning. Believe me, I'm not saying I have it figured out either. I'll be the first to admit that I don't! But, I'm trying my best to learn from professors who do it right, as well as learn from their mistakes. I've had no formal training myself, other than a few teaching seminars here and there that I've attended out of my own will. The main rule I apply is to teach a class the way I would want to be taught. (Now, I have to try to put myself back in the mindset of an undergraduate, and that's not easy.) However, that philosophy is not right for everyone either. So... regardless, I have a lot to learn still. Don't we all?

Thinking about where I'm at right now, the minority of professors with excellent pedagogic skills outweigh the majority in my head. These are the ones that leave you wanting more. P(x) is actually doing that for me. I haven't had a class like this in years.

P(x) is a unique professor, probably the most unique I've ever had. I'm learning the class subject, as well as observing his teaching methodologies. He's showing me I have more things to learn, for sure. I'm far from getting everything right, and unfortunately, I can't really apply his methods. (For starters, most students would run if I started kicking off my shoes every class.) I teach a class of over 100 students. P(x)'s class size is 8 students. You use completely different teaching methods with a class size of 8 vs. 100 students. Furthermore, advanced graduate courses use completely different teaching methods than introductory undergraduate courses (like I'm teaching.) And regardless, as a PhD student, my primary responsibilities revolve around my own research and dissertation work, which is just beginning. Oh, the question constantly begs every morning; "How do I juggle all of this work today? What should I do first? How do I handle these student issues? I really need something sweet. I know I didn't explain call-by-reference as clearly as I could have. Where's the pizza? I could be making 10x the amount of money I'm making now. Again, why am I doing this? Where's the wine?" and so on. So, I can't really put the time into it that I want to. But, it's enjoyable regardless. Yup, I have much to learn.