Solid

My School.  It's Quite Lovely

It's intriguing to think about educational universities.  I was sitting in class today, scribbling notes down diligently, as always.  And amongst the drone of the lecture, the chatty freshmen the row behind me, and the 26 year old, 5th year senior drumming on the his desk in what seems to be a pathetic attempt at a beat; I thought about where I was at.  School.  its funny to think that we pay thousands of dollars for somebody to judge us and mold us into the "perfect citizen."  If this is the case, which in cases it is, then are we truly paying for an education, or are we just paying for a degree.  Thats a topic for another post, though.  It's a beautiful day outside, the sun is shining and outdoor activities are calling my name.  And I'm sitting in a stuffy lecture with almost no motivation to even blink.  Don't get me wrong, I love school.  I love its concept and its design.  It is quite the step up from the high school scene, where the teacher seems more interested in passing their quote of a seventy percent passing rate, or something to that effect.  But I think, even at the college level, education has lost its drive and its motivation.  Dont get me wrong, there are professors who know how to teach, and those who have a lot to learn.  So, as such, I have created a brief guide to classifying and choosing the ideal professor for any class. 

1.  The Young Guy

This guy is, like the title suggest, young.  He's happy, he's energetic, he's nice.  He could even be cute.  He'll know about current events and he will be able to relate them to the topic you study.  He can laugh with you, he can joke with you.  For all intensive purposes, you will love this teacher.  But as the end of the semester nears, so comes the menacing shift in personalities.  He'll realize that he has taught you very little over the semester because he has spent too much of his class trying to relate to the students and become their friend.  So, in the closing weeks of the semester, when he realizes that he hasn't had enough assignments to truly evaluate a just and fair grade, he'll pile them all on.  Tests will be super hard, papers will be long, but there will be little time to complete them.  This man is like a venus fly trap; he lures you in with his kindness and demeanour, but you're dead if you let that influence you.  

2.  The Math Teacher Straight Outta East Asia

This person is almost always one of the most brilliant people at the University.  they have sound theories which are supported by solid logic.  They are very kind and are easy to interact with...assuming you have a legitamate grasp on Mandarin or Japanese.  You can't rely on the one year crash course in English to guide you through your mathematical ventures in school.  These teachers may be smart, but unless you have a Chinese 300 level pre-requisite, you're toast.  Don't assume tjust because their last name is Lee or Li, that they will be able to get you through statistics with flying colors.  Strong communications with your teachers is a necessity in college. 

3.  the Overly Liberal Hippy

Almost every college student has had this teacher.  This is the one that makes you turn your head to the side and rub your eyes in disbelief.  This professor, male or female, is typically dressed in an odd fashion, may always look a little disheveled and out of it, and will always want to "think outside of the box."  They will have "creative" activities for the class and will make an emphasis on sharing.  He/She will suggest the creation of a journal, or, for those who are so inclined, a blog.  

4.  The Dinosaur

Of the teachers to avoid, this is probably my favorite.  They have a wealth of knowledge and are willing to share, but their overall state of senility causes them to lose focus quite frequently and confuse themselves in the end.  Their teachings will be worhtwile and interesting and filled with real life examples, but the assigments will make little to no sense to any sort of reader.  If you like to ask questions, this ptofessor is for you, cause you will need to ask them just to get by.  However, they are always willing to help a student in need, so office hours are a key to pass the class.  They often forget names, so if you like to be remembered, I apologize.  

5.  the Teacher's Assistant

STAY AWAY!  They are hungry with their new-found power and having a craving for undrgrad failure.  They will typically be very shy at first, and you will be able to see it through their unwillingness to speak to the students outside of class and the noticeably shaky handwriting on the chalkboard and on returned papers.  They will be very smart and can truly be useful tools if used correctly.  Your TA will spend a lot of time telling you how successful they were when they were in your position, which can get quite annoying.  they really have no real world experience, so a lot of what they will be telling you is froma purely academic standpoint.  

Final Notes:

That's my brief list of teachers you should likely avoid.  While my advice is not true in every case, I would imagine that in quite a few, nothing could be truer.  Your ideal bet would be the middle-aged, awkward, nonchalant nice professor.  He/She is very humble and down to earth, but has a grasp on the university's system and requirements.  they will not only serve as your instuctor for that course, but can help you in any area of your academic career.  They are very knowledgeable and have obtained a degree from an accredited university to prove it.  Their primary goal is the success and well-being of their students and they let very little get in the way of that goal.  They are typically well-versed and have no problems in explanation.  

The best advice I can probably give you is to ASK THE STUDENTS.  Ask friends that have taken the course.  They will, for the most part, be able to tell you about the course, the professot, the tests, and the workload.  Ideally, you should find a friend that is somewhat like yourself, but that is not always necessary if you can judge the person you're talking to.  Sites like ratemyprofessor.com can be quasi-helpful, but only to a degree.  For the most part, this site is filled with students complaining about their teacher and the grade they recieved.