So many people tell you that college is different from high
school and it’s true. I think the sole contributor to this change is obviously
the difference in teaching styles. Professors teach in a completely different
manner than your education major high school teacher. At every University there
are a few select types of professors that I believe you should be aware of
before entering any institution.
Past Professor: This
professor at one point in time was at the top of their academic field.
They are now out of touch with the members of their classroom and aside from
their abnormally slow speech they usually have a particularly hard time hearing
any question you ask. “What is the page requirement?” will more than likely
lead you on a longer discussion about a political reformation you may have or
have not talked about in recent lectures.
Progressive Professor:
This professor is not too far removed from you in age or ideas. They are up
to date with what is happening not only in their academic field, but also in
the latest entertainment fads. They encourage you to think for yourself and
their classrooms are a place for discussion. The assignments are mentioned in
passing and they are not really sticklers for format, but rather content. They
encourage any radical new ideas and or any thought that goes against the main stream.
Sometimes when you see this professor you may think to yourself “self, I might
be friends with this person… if they weren’t my professor.”
Passionate Professor:
This is a professor who is excited not only that you are in their class;
but that because of your attendance you have now showed that you too are
passionate about their field of study. If you are a student who is not
outwardly excited about the joy of chemical equations or molecular structure
you might find this professor to be a little over zealous. Do not be frightened if they begin to yell or
move around the room frantically flailing their arms in the air. They are
simply excited to share their passion with you.
Peculiar Professor: This
professor is not so rare. This professor thinks that they are absolutely the
most hilarious person in the world. So much so, that they may even die laughing
at their own jokes in the middle of a lecture. (If this happens again, don’t be
alarmed give a fake sympathy laugh so they can feel comforted that someone else
gets their humor and move on. This professor may wear awkward sweaters, huge
glasses, mismatched colors, and or black and brown (because we all know black
and brown makes a frown). When you are in this class you will probably feel
awkward FOR this professor, but they have been doing this for a while so they
are comfortable being who they are.
Finally Power Professor:
This professor for some reason struggles with the idea that any younger
twenty-something student wants to disrespect them. They will probably restrict
your seating, or make sure you do not leave until they say so, or may even tell
you if you can or cannot use your laptop. Although, all of these things
probably have good reason with normal professors, with the power professor they
will reply with the infamous word “because I said so.”
Some
of these professors, we can all agree, sound kind of ridiculous. It’s true, you
will encounter professors you don’t like, but that is one of the ways college
teaches you! You may not like your boss one day, but he is still your boss and you
still have to listen to him. Having these professors has given me the
opportunity to learn to appreciate, and even sometimes embrace, their wacky
personalities. It’s all part of the college learning process. :)
