In the Spotlight
The title of professor comes with dual responsibilities; when you accept the title, you have to be prepared to not only teach but to be a mentor for your students as well. If you do not embrace this latter responsibility, then you are just projecting information. Sharing with your students personal experiences in the field, showing them how to practically translate theoretical information and structuring the course to facilitate their growth are all ways to be a mentor and a teacher.
As a professor, you should aim to teach your students how to critically think and analyze instead of throwing readings at them and expecting them to know how to critically read them. Students are not born with an innate talent of critical analysis. To read and think critically is a learned skill; the onus to refine and teach this skill is on the professor. I find that when a professor tells us how we should be approaching a text we are more likely to write better essays. This is because when you show us how to read a text, we learn to do it ourselves and apply the analysis skills you teach us when writing essays.
Throughout my years (thus far) at UofT, I have had the pleasure of being taught by Professor Mairi Macdonald, Professor Vikki Visvis and Professor Joseph Carens.
Check out my interviews with them to find out what makes their teaching styles effective!
Professor Joseph Carens - POL320
Professor Mairi Macdonald - TRN303H1
Professor Vikki Visvis
As a professor, you should aim to teach your students how to critically think and analyze instead of throwing readings at them and expecting them to know how to critically read them. Students are not born with an innate talent of critical analysis. To read and think critically is a learned skill; the onus to refine and teach this skill is on the professor. I find that when a professor tells us how we should be approaching a text we are more likely to write better essays. This is because when you show us how to read a text, we learn to do it ourselves and apply the analysis skills you teach us when writing essays.
Throughout my years (thus far) at UofT, I have had the pleasure of being taught by Professor Mairi Macdonald, Professor Vikki Visvis and Professor Joseph Carens.
Check out my interviews with them to find out what makes their teaching styles effective!
Professor Joseph Carens - POL320
Professor Mairi Macdonald - TRN303H1
Professor Vikki Visvis