My least favourite teacher was a math professor during my undergraduate degree. It was clear from the first class that they expected us to already know the material we were meant to learn. They would call on us during class to answer questions and then shame us in front of the class when we struggled to answer. There was no rubric, no guidelines, and no clarity of expectations. This professor did not seem to have a plan for us: even during exams they would simply write questions on the board and then leave the room, telling us to hand in our answers to their office (thank goodness we brought our own paper and pencils). The feedback on these exams consisted only of red exes. The two biggest struggles learning from this professor were the culture of shame they created as well as the complete lack of preparation.
My favourite teacher was also a math professor during my undergraduate degree. This professor expected a lot from their students, and really pushed us to struggle with complex ideas and problems. They opened my world to ways in which math disciplines can overlap, encouraged me to persue a masters degree in math, and surfaced opportunities like math conferences and government funding. They were organized, clear, and expected a lot from us. The biggest thing that made this teacher great was their confidence in me: their confidence in me gave me confidence in myself.
Beautiful, insightful writing, and I really enjoy your illustrations too!
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