Here's a blurb from a recent post:
I've been a college professor in one form or another since I was 24 years old. I'll never forget the first day I stood in front of a classroom. After preparing for weeks, I still felt deeply insecure about what I should do and how I should do it. Nevertheless, I delivered a lecture.
I was so green you could have spent me. I was just a few years older than my students and I felt more like one of them than someone able to deliver on the promise of education. I was terrified.
After a few more weeks, I started to feel comfortable and trust my abilities. The initial magic had worn off and it felt like a job. I found that I really liked my students. I enjoyed guiding them and listening to their insights. I surprised myself by being able to answer the questions they asked, and loved when our talks would continue out of class.
In many ways, I believe teaching has helped me create a skill set that is essential during the pandemic.
Teaching is leading with compassion. It's about much more than the information listed in books or delivered in lectures. When you walk into a room filled with expectations, it's your job to meet each person where they are — in terms of intelligence and skill — and help them fulfill their potential.
Read more of this and other columns at Mahoning Matters.