Tuesday, October 13, 2009

State University Students

I loved my Ivy League students. They were great kids and we had lots of fun in our classes. I was also very grateful to them for the fact that until the last week of each semester there was absolutely no chance of any of them showing up in my office. So I could do anything I wanted during my office hours, including just going home.

My state school students are nothing like that. During my office hours, I can't even leave the office for five minutes to go to the bathroom because students keep showing up. Before, during and after class they keep asking questions, trying to have a discussion, offering opinions. 

I had grave reservations about coming to work at this university but having students like these makes it all worthwhile. Where else would I find students who would e-mail me at 3:18 a.m. to ask me questions about nationalism and ideology that are completely unrelated to the subject of our class. For a teacher, this is a dream come true.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Перепрошую, не зовсім зрозумів (моя англійська і близько не така гарна, як ваша українська :). Чи правильно я зрозумів, що ви викладаєте в університеті? Ви працюєте на посаді асистента, лектора (старшого викладча), професора?

Clarissa said...

Я професор iспанiстики.

Natalee said...

Wow, what language was that???

Clarissa said...

That's Ukrainian, Natalee. I haven't had a chance to speak it for a very long time, unfortunately.

I'm very happy to have a Ukrainian visitor in my blog, finally. :-)

Богдан said...

То ми з вами до певної міри колеги. Я доктор філософії (кандидат економічних наук), старший викладач, заступник декана Київського національного економічного університету.
Дуже приємно було з вами познайомитись, дякую за спілкування
З повагою,
Богдан

Clarissa said...

Сподiваюсь вас ще бачити тут!

Anonymous said...

Dream come true, yes. Except that 3:18AM part.
Ol

Clarissa said...

Just think about it, this student couldn't sleep because of the thoughts about nationalism and what the official language should be. That's so beautiful... :-)

Anonymous said...

True! I hope your students are not expecting you to answer at 3:15AM. I have a hard time explaining my students that I am not available over the weekends and after 7PM, but once again, I am such a misanthrope!

Ol.

Clarissa said...

I especially detest the emails at midnight "What will be on the test tomorrow?" If you had been in class every once in a while, you'd surely know. Besides, it's not like this student will do all of the readings and absorb all of the material between midnight and 9 a.m., the time of the exam. Urrrghh!