Only in Humility
Recently, I have had a life altering experience that taught me what it means to be a true student.
Before this semester started, I often heard very negative things about a certain professor that I hadn’t taken a class from yet. From a few of my fellow classmates, I had heard all sorts of things like, “Good luck learning anything in his class” or “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” To be honest, I believed them and felt a little panicked when I found out he was teaching a couple of my classes this semester. When the semester started, I met this professor with an embarrassing amount of doubt in my mind that he would be able to effectively teach me the material so that I would be able to successfully pass his classes. I only knew what I had heard from others. What I didn’t know was that this professor had survived an incredible amount of trauma to his head and his body, which resulted in temporary loss of speech, months of hospital recovery, probably years of trauma recovery and the loss of a leg. I also came to know the immense knowledge that he has about literally everything, from evolution, to fire ecology, to genetics, to training his own carrier pigeons. There are times that he struggles to communicate the material because of his past head trauma, but the knowledge is clearly there and his love for his students is clearly there. Despite all that this professor had gone through, he chose to continue to spend his life as an educator. I immediately humbled myself as I learned more about this professor, not just because I had prematurely judged him based on negative rumors from peers (not my proudest moment, I must say), but because I realized that if I wanted to be a successful student, in any class, I must first start with humbling myself.
Growing up with two teachers for parents, I’d like to think I have an extremely strong foundation in not only understanding the importance of getting an education, but also the importance of maintaining a level of respect for my superiors, personal feelings aside. I often feel that many in my generation lack the ability or desire to maintain a reasonable level of respect for their superiors, specifically their teachers. I’ve seen too many students, unfortunately myself included at times, who misdirect their frustration and often point fingers of blame towards teachers for their own short- comings, using cop-outs such as: “They grade too harshly” or “They suck at teaching.” Often when I hear these things, or when I think them to myself, I can’t help but wonder what could have been done differently by the student to have prevented that frustration from happening in the first place. Not to say that all teachers are perfect in everything they do, but let’s be honest, most of the time that frustration directed at teachers is actually caused by the student failing to uphold their own responsibilities.
I can’t help but notice that many students struggle with the fact that to be a successful student you must foster an attitude of humility, not an attitude of entitlement. My experience reminded me that the key to learning is being willing and submissive enough to open yourself up to being taught— no matter what the teaching style may be or how you personally feel about your teacher. I think there’s a common misconception in our society that learning falls 100% on the shoulders of the teacher. Though the teacher plays an important role in the learning process, keep in mind that learning is a partnership and that the students hold huge responsibility in this too. My experience also reminded me the importance in remembering that being a student is a privilege. The opportunity to learn is a blessing that should always be counted. Often I hear of students complaining about the money and the time it takes to achieve a degree. Trust me, I get it—nothing is easy about it. However, let’s not forget the real reward for your hard work. Being educated is a status that is far more valuable than any grade you could earn.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, make sure you are appreciative of the educators around you. I have seen my parents, as well as other teachers, spend countless hours of preparation and time in order to educate their students. If I had to pick any profession that is widely under appreciated and deserves way more gratitude than what it gets, I would pick teaching in a heartbeat. It’s not an easy job, and it’s true that many teachers make mistakes often. However, keep in mind that just because someone is a teacher, it doesn’t mean that they’re done learning. All of them have willingly and proudly chose to devote their lives to educate rising generations and that generosity deserves an applaud. Thank you!
