TO THE EDITOR:
I am a professor, and I did not “teach” today. My schedule shows no in-class time. I did not lecture a group of students in a for-credit situation. Instead of teaching, I led five different meetings.
One meeting was with a graduate student of mine. Three were with undergraduate students enrolled in my lecture class. But this was not class time, and one was with a group of graduate students during non-class time. The total time spent was around six hours.
The entire time I was meeting with these students, I was teaching and mentoring and getting these students to understand geology, to understand work ethic and to understand how to apply in-class theory to their thesis or report or paper. I was getting them to understand how everything we have talked about in classes together is related. I was getting them to understand both the details and the big picture of their thesis or report or paper.
I poured every ounce of my energy, and I poured my heart and soul into these meetings because I am a teacher. I gave my students 110 percent of what I can offer to them, and we made great strides. The students learned a lot. I learned a lot.
I skipped lunch. I’m exhausted. But, according to some, I did not teach today, and I need to just try to get used to working harder.
Todd LaMaskin
Department of Environmental Science
UNC-Wilmington
