Letter from Boston

Teachers and Teaching

By MASAKO YAMADA

I have been very fortunate to have had a scholarship to study ever since I entered graduate school. I did not have to teach classes and grade papers during my first few years of graduate school, as did most of my classmates.

The first few years are when the classes and exams are the most challenging, and being a teaching assistant in addition to being a full-time student can be extremely draining. Most graduate students look forward eagerly to the day they can start doing research full-time. They get sick of classes — both teaching them and taking them — after a while.

Now that I'm nearing the end of my fourth year in graduate school, however, I am suddenly confronted with the possibility of teaching. This is usually the time when students start dedicating themselves to their research, but my scholarship is nearing its end and my Ph.D. is not yet on the horizon, so I must think of new funding sources. Teaching undergraduates is one income source that is common among graduate students in the sciences.

After students take all their courses and exams, it's customary for them to join a research group and be funded by research grants that go to the group. However, grants are not permanent, so students must occasionally teach, even after joining a research group. All of the graduate students in my department get a tuition waiver and they can always find some means of supporting themselves while they get their degree.

In this sense, graduate students in the sciences are luckier than the many graduate students who have to pay full tuition in addition to living expenses while they get their degrees. Teaching a few classes is a small price to pay for the privilege.

I've always liked teachers and I have kept in contact with teachers that I've known since I was 7. However, I've always been a bit apprehensive about the idea of teaching. I always considered teaching the same material every semester boring, the students difficult, and my temper too short.

However, over the years, I've come to realize that the art and craft of teaching is something that I would like to cultivate. I've come to this realization largely because I've encountered both good and bad teachers, and I've been trying to figure out what makes certain teachers special. I have also started to feel a responsibility to educate the next generation and I would like to do a good job as a public citizen.

A physicist friend and I have been talking about some music teachers that we've had, and our conclusion has been that a "good teacher" is one that inspires you to grow. We've both had teachers who have made us miserable after every lesson.

However, because we share similar "Old-World" values, we've stuck with these teachers in an attempt to create a more meaningful relationship over time. (The "New-World" method is more competitive and encourages one to drop old teachers when more attractive ones come along.) Patience can surely improve a bad relationship, but we've agreed that some teachers can make one feel like dancing with absolutely no effort at all. These are the ones we yearn for.

One thing that I've come to realize firsthand is that an impressive resume doesn't necessarily lead to impressive teaching abilities. This is not a new observation, but I must admit that I've been blinded by credentials and famous school names in the past.

It sounds a bit naive to say this, but I'm most inspired when I see dedication toward teaching, love of the subject and respect toward the student. This is probably because, in most cases, I don't need to receive all of the knowledge that a teacher has to offer. I just need the push to learn things on my own.

Although I'm still not sure whether alternative funding options will pop up between now and the fall, I am starting to get used to the idea of being a first-time teaching assistant as a fifth-year graduate student, and I'm starting to collect ideas on what I can do to be a better teacher.

Shukan ST: May 12, 2000

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