A few thoughts on teaching/interacting w students in general, but especially in the age of Covid. Thread:
So I was trained in the school of "professors are hard asses." A number of salient sayings go along with this school, most notably "first you frighten, then you enlighten."
So I was trained in the school of "professors are hard asses." A number of salient sayings go along with this school, most notably "first you frighten, then you enlighten."
As a grad student, I adopted this school's philosophy both because I was required to, esp as a teaching assistant, and because I was influenced by my professors and mentors. I not only thought they were right, I had to adopt this thinking when I worked as a TA under those profs.
As a TA I was particularly draconian in my thinking and action. This was expected and condoned by the faculty I worked for. I've noticed in my career that a lot of times, although certainly not always, grad students seem to think that being a hard ass is how you professor.
They think this, I believe, both because that's what they're taught and, if not, it's just kind of out there in the ether that prof = hard ass. I even encounter quite a few undergrads who think this and are shocked to learn that I'm not the hard ass prof they fear me to be.
Examples of this practice: student gets sick or has a death in the family, they need to provide a doctor's note or obit. Student needs extra time on an assignment, sure but they get docked points as a penalty. Missed lecture material, get notes from classmate, prof can't help.
About a decade ago I broke from this tradition. If you are a prof, I encourage you to also. It's not a student centered practice. It doesn't take into consideration that like any other human person students have lives outside of the classroom. It's mean spirited for no reason.
I have found instead that acting with kindness/decency, by being forgiving and even, dare I say it, lenient in my policies requires me to sacrifice nothing. Trusting my students actually endears them to me. Trying to teach TAs a similar way of being in the world costs me nothing.
In fact prof = hard ass is detrimental to the training of grad students who plan to be profs, imo. There is no reason to replicate this way of being other than "that's how I was trained." It teaches grad students that undergrads are to be distrusted and are unworthy of decency.
More importantly, it's pedagogically unsound. When I changed my practices I actually found students did better work than those I engaged with as a hard ass. They respond to kindness by producing excellent work and appreciate that they don't get penalized for needing extra time.
It also alleviates them from having to produce a dr's note or obit. The former isn't hard to get but only if they went to the dr and didn't just stay home to recuperate. The latter, what if we're open about our kindness so students don't have to even mention a dead relative?
All of this is even more important right now. Covid has many of us stressed; students are no different. Acting with kindness, sympathy, understanding would do us all good. I've found that putting that good in the world is not only good for them, it's been good for me too.
And students appreciate it. I've gotten more notes of thanks re my kindness than I thought I would. In fact, that has been a bonus...I didn't understand how much students would appreciate it and I didn't expect to get the responses I have, but they tell me I'm on the right track.
So, to fellow profs and grad student friends, as you begin the semester, consider kindness and decency as the way of being in the world and acting toward students. There's really no reason to be a hard ass. Students will appreciate it. And you'll like the way it makes you feel.
