McNaughton: Class shouldn’t be as bad as McCormick’s
When students enroll in a class, they should be able to read up on the instructor.
Thursday, February 21st, 2008
I’m in my third year, and I’ve taken many classes with a wide variety of instructors.
Some classes I enjoyed so much I retook them, solely based on my love of the subject.
Kidding.
I wish that were the reason.
Aside from the knowledge I’ve gained from those classes, I’ve gained a little insight of my own: The instructor makes the class.
In retaking a couple classes, I’ve had completely different experiences. The second time was always better.
My freshman year I took an anthropology class. It was my only class on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but that wasn’t my thrill killer.
The class just sucked.
The instructor spoke in soft monotone without a microphone in a decent sized auditorium.
He exhibited no obvious style, flare or enthusiasm for the subject.
I took the class again with a different instructor. It had a completely different format.
The classes were about as comparable as Grey Goose and McCormick’s vodka. Although they are the same type of alcohol and both get you drunk, it’s just not the same.
It’s a different drunk, a different hangover and a different experience. It could be so terrible that you’ll never drink vodka again.
I’m not always going to like certain professors, but if they don’t exude excitement about the subject, how can they expect us to get passionate about it?
One instructor who embodies this passion in his lectures is Craig Martin, professor of biology.
I took Biology 100 my freshman year, and I thoroughly enjoyed that class, so much that I didn’t have to retake it.
Martin was funny and passionate about what he taught, which excited me and kept my attention.
I’ve had countless conversations with friends who have taken the same classes as me, different instructors, different experiences and different grades.
“Some of my best teachers are the ones who can be considered to be somewhat unorthodox,” Whitney Rowland, Olathe junior, said. “They have a deep passion for the subject matter, and that forces us to engage in the class with the same level of passion, whether we like the material or not.”
Unfortunately, when we enroll in a class, we can’t check the past experiences of previous students to decide on which instructor to choose.
It’s fairly safe to say that a majority of students base class choices on time of the class and making sure it works with the rest of our schedule.
Most end up with a lotto pick when it comes to the instructors we end up with and how good they are.
Students shouldn’t just suck it up because it’s not us.
It’s them.
Faculty: Get excited about your class!
Students pay good money to be here, and you get money to teach us.
We’re supposed to be learning, not being put to sleep. Some instructors need to step it up and earn the prestigious title that the school is paying them for.
McNaughton is a Topeka junior in journalism.
Discussion
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I agree. I too had Martin and I'd go to one of his lectures again even though I'm not in the class. You can check up on some teachers before enrolling at www.ratemyprofessors.com. I use this when I enroll and it's really handy so you know what you're getting into when you sign up for a class.
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