Getting to know your professors Pt. 2 of 3
As I previously mentioned, getting to know your professors is an essential part of a more holistic college experience. Dr. Mark Daddona of Clayton University created a wonderful little PDF that quickly covers all of the points that I mentioned, and even expands upon them. While this PDF looks like it was made in the early 1990′s, it still is a powerful affirmation of many of my claims in the previous post. Daddona says that “[y]our professors are more than lecturers and researchers; they have real life experiences to share” (“Know Your Professor Info”). He then goes on to give a detailed check list of other such supporting material and claims. Seeing that Daddona is a professor, I feel that he is a credible source capable of discussing this topic with a high level of authority.
Another contributor to enriching college experience, CollegeBoard (a publishing company that writes guide books for students entering academia) mirrors many of the claims laid out by Daddona. CollegeBoard goes into slightly more detail, and provides a more objective take on student/professor relationships citing many economic exchanges that a student can benefit from (such as knowing how well prepared they are for a particular assignment, networking opportunities, personal motivation; “College Professors – college search resources”).
Personally speaking, when I discovered what was suggested to generate a competitive application for graduate school, I almost fainted. I thought that there was no way I could complete everything that was needed of me in such a short period of time. Then I met Marlen. By the end of my first semester with him, I had completed everything needed to compete with other applicants, and then some. To this date, I have been told by other professors that I am beyond prepared for graduate school. I have my relationship with an instructor to thank for that.
Works Cited
“College Professors – college search resources.” CollegeBoard. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct 2010. <http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/college-success/957.html>.
Daddona, Mark. “Know Your Professor Info.” University Of Pittsburgh School Of Engineering. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct 2010. <http://www.engr.pitt.edu/freshman/parents/documents/CampusLink0907KnowYourProfessorInfo.pdf>.
November 30, 2010 at 1:47 pm
I totally agree with you. It’s said that people learn the best way by social interaction. Here in Finland it can be realize from many researches. But this really make me confused, why professors don’t teach that way! Especially I must say that in Finland we have “you shut up your mouth and listen”- kind of technique. And I hate it. Sometimes I feel like I have to prove to my professors that I am “good enough” to have a conversation with them. And you may “disturb” professors if you are in trouble somehow. Plus you are always the one who make contact with them.. I hope the system will change someday- before or later.
Greetings from Finland, Rakel