A Story about my Chemistry Professor
During my freshmen year at WMU, my Chemistry 100 teacher had to take a sabbatical because he was fighting cancer, and a new professor took over the course with a few weeks left in the semester.
The original professor was not only a great teacher, but approachable and nice. The new teacher was the very opposite.
I’ve thought often about the first–and only–conversation I had with the second professor before an exam. After class, I asked him, “Which problems in the book do you recommend I do before the exam?”
The new professor scoffed, and said, “All of them.”
“There are 200 problems in this chapter,” I commented. “Can you narrow that down?”
“Yes, do as many as you need to do to master the subject…” the professor replied. He then walked away.
I have thought about this conversation occasionally during my careers as a teacher and musician. At times I have chuckled about it.
Over the years I have realized a teacher who isn’t kindhearted and approachable isn’t actually a teacher. Simply a person who lectures to others. A vessel that spits out knowledge…
But not a teacher.
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