Re: Maybe I will graduate someday...

Quoth Ibn al-Hazardous <ibn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
....
I disagree.

/Again/?!

;)

I would say that if one is brilliant, and have been in the field for
10+ years - one should probably not teach introductory courses (they
are too far ahead - and its a waste of resources anyway).

In that the more advanced students would benefit more from contact with
a real expert, I entirely agree. However, at no point did I mention
basic courses. Some professors and other teachers can't actually pass
on their knowledge in a palatable way no matter how advanced their
audience might be.

But boy, was the brilliant guys ever the most _interesting_ lecturers.
They radiate fascination with the subject at hand, and they suck you into
their vortex, and the next thing you know - you are applying for a slave
contract^w^w research position so that you can be close to them when
they do this bloody marvelous research.

Perhaps my choice of words with "brilliant" was poor. I didn't so much
mean those consumed with the furtherment of their subjects so much as
those who were simply very good at them -- even to the point of being
slightly bored by them.

It's somewhat academic (if you'll pardon the pun) anyway -- I've since
decided that whether one is a good or bad teacher doesn't in any way
depend on how well one knows one's field.

Then, as the application is in the mail - reality catches up with you
and you go: OMG, what have I done! (But as long as you are in that
vortex - you will be perfectly capable of teaching introductory
courses, and passing the enthusiasm on in a half digested state.)

That was never a situation in which I found myself academically, because
I chose the wrong degree discipline, and therefore never enjoyed it
enough to want to pursue it beyond graduation.

Then we have the guys who did some good stuff in their 30s, and who have
tenure. They are a bore, not only for introductory students - but for
their collegues (sp?) as well. They should not be put into research
positions - they should be fired.</soapbox>

I'm not sure if British universities have 'tenure' as such -- it's quite
possible they do and I'm not aware of it, though. As I said, I never
really looked into academia as a job prospect.
--
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