The Joys of Teaching

I have the honor of being a full-time professor at a local community college. There are many parts of my job that I enjoy. I love creating the course, figuring out assignments that will have the best impact. I love getting in front of the room and lecturing, ignite discussion, make them laugh a little. Some of my students have told me that my lecture are more "infotainment" than anything else.

But there are days when I think a nice, normal, 9-5 job might be better. The constant whining, worse than you would even hear in a 2-year-old room at a day care, the apathy, the beligerent ignorance that many of these students come into my classroom with, and the inability to think for themselves all combines to make me not like most of my students.

*Gasp* Did a teacher just admit to not liking her students? Yup. Truthfully, it's nothing personal. I teach communication, and we talk about identity and different social roles, and some of the students that I don't like as students, I like just fine as people. Several of them even end up popping on to my facebook page. Crappy students, interesting people. Some of my best students drive me NUTS outside of the classroom, but at least I know they will have their work done, and it will be correct!

So, when I say I don't like some of my students, I truly mean students, not people. And I know a good part of them don't like me, the Professor. I'm okay with that.

Why do this job, then? For the ones who come up to you and tell you that their life has changed because of something you said, or the ones that say the assignments they have done showed them how important communicatioin is in their life, or the ones who, after finally completing a speech without almost passing out, comes running to you to hug you for helping them get over their stage fright. Those moments make it all worth while.

Even if they are few and far between.