Especially at this point in the semester, it can be difficult to think happy thoughts about Teacher Appreciation Week coming up in the beginning of May. Finals are here and grades are coming back, and it seems as though anything written in that corrective red pen will determine how successful you’ll be over the next 30 years. It’s much easier to blame those comments on the professor who wrote them than take responsibility ourselves. How many times have we resorted to the classic reactions “He didn’t teach it well enough,” “She graded my paper subjectively” or my personal favorite, “It was nothing like the practice test?”
Yes, there are a handful of teachers out there who maybe should have pursued a different profession. Let’s face it. Teaching isn’t for everyone. But throughout my NC State education so far, that hasn’t been the case. Each semester I am more and more impressed with the talent and accomplishments of the Wolfpack faculty.
One common characteristic I’ve noticed throughout the teachers I’ve had the opportunity to learn from is that they are all so passionate about their discipline. I’m willing to bet that we can all agree in the huge difference between a lecturer who doesn’t care and one who has devoted his or her life to a particular field of study. Not only is it easy to stay engaged — and awake, for that matter — but also it encourages you to meet that level of enthusiasm, of commitment, of interest. Even in a class that you’re sitting in just to meet a graduation requirement, it’s much easier to be motivated to learn the material when the person teaching it is personally and professionally invested.
Wolfpack faculty members definitely go the extra mile. When I went on several college tours of smaller universities, they always brag about how in small classrooms, the teacher can learn your name, and you’re never just a number. I’ve had plenty of large classes at NC State, some with 60, 80, 130, 250 students, and with the exception of a class or two, the professors always called me by name. They go out of their way to accommodate my schedule when I have office-hour questions, and a few friends and I still meet up with a calc professor for coffee, almost two years later.
Teachers often don’t get all the recognition they deserve from their students. Most of their accomplishments happen behind the scenes. After all, they don’t exactly present their research every class period. They next time you have a few seconds to spare, check out the faculty biographies on State’s website and see what your teachers have been up to outside of the classroom. Publications, awards, articles, books, studies, etc. Their achievements are endless, and some teachers seem borderline famous if you ask me. It’s pretty neat to think that I’m learning the foundations of my major from some of the most successful people in the very careers I hope to strive in someday.
It’s important to appreciate and respect your teachers all semester and not just when your grades are on the line. From any presentation you’ve given in front of the class, you know it takes quite a bit of preparation and courage. At a prestigious university, the stakes are high for the professors to teach students well enough to continue having the well-known companies participate in our career fairs, selecting only the best and the brightest future employees. I know I couldn’t be at a better university when I filled out my ClassEvals this semester and honestly rated all of my five professors with the highest remarks.
And to the faculty, out of all the cities your research could have taken you, thanks for choosing Raleigh. Of all the universities you could have chosen to contribute to, thanks for choosing NC State. And of all the communities you could have chosen to share your passions with, thanks for choosing the Wolfpack. We appreciate all that you do.
