Sympathy Pains

Imagine that you're a teacher. Imagine you teach postgraduate work to teachers. How much does that have to suck, by nature? Teachers tend to feel in control in the classroom, and postgraduate teachers are clearly also invested in the lifelong pursuit of education and knowledge. We are super critical. I am not envious of people who have to teach in front of an audience of critically thinking peers.

Still. Knowing that this is your situation, wouldn't you try to compensate? I would try to be overprepared. Have plenty of different approaches lined up, appropriate readings, interesting discussion topics... The possibilities are endless. And yet.

After writing a paper for a recent class, we convened a few minutes before the professor and all discussed how awful the paper was. I actually said, "I found myself writing it the way she should have taught it to us. Maybe it'll help." That's harsh, and not uncommon. My peers, who average the approximate age of the professor, all find her lacking and try to help walk her through teaching. Subtlety is, of course, a priority. I just hope that someday I get some smart whippersnappers to keep me in my place and make me regret being so mean to such a well intentioned teacher.