68 - 73 x365: University Profs

I have written about some profs I had in University, but here are some more.

# 68: Professor of Shakespeare

My first day in his class and I made a bad impression. He asked if we thought Shakespeare was a genius and I had spent the previous semester being told that no one was a genius. When I said no, I thought he was going to choke. Fast forward through an entire full year (two semesters) of me disappointing him at every turn. One paper he handed back had a comment "I did not give you a grade as I felt there was no grade to give you". I had to go see him after class for that one. It was my first time being called to a professor's office. It was my first year away from home and I was lonely, depressed and close to failing more than one class. He sat me down and said "How are you doing here?" I cried and ran from the room.

#69: Fairy God Mother

She tried to teach "counselling" which in reality cannot be done. You either have the ability and can expand on it or you have no ability. There is no try. She looked like a disorganized fairy god mother from Sleeping Beauty. She was little and squat and round with fly-away hair that had a life of it's own. She wore suit pants which were too snug and too short. The hem would get caught in her hiking boots she wore every day.

She was a happy sort. The type who is so happy you tend not to believe her. Her favourite line (which she said every day) was "Lift your hand in the air, put it behind your head and give yourself a pat on the back." One day she realized I hadn't followed her instructions and asked me why. I had to be honest. "I would sooner raise my foot and give myself a kick in the ass."

#70: D... named after her father with an "A" tacked to the end

The ethics prof. The one who had no problems lecturing you on proper behaviour and then telling you the intimate details of her clients. The one who started stories with "You know the guy who died behind the bank? Let me tell you about his family!" She had no idea he was one of my clients and perhaps spilling all his family secrets to a room full of green social work students was not the best way to honour his memory.

#71: Mona

During a social work class on poverty, she had the gall to tell another student that she didn't want to hear any more about life on the reservation. Later that semester, she was surprised to realize that some people could not cook because they did not have the equipment to do so and some could not even read to follow a recipe. For a woman teaching poverty, I don't think she had ever laid eyes on one. My co-worker and I got the lowest marks in the room despite both working closely with the poor because it was felt we did not really understand and had a "negative outlook on poverty and policy".

#72: German Justice Prof

He taught Social Justice and did it brilliantly. Every class encouraged us to debate topics and look at the world from a different point of view. Inevitably, the debate would turn into bashing Germans and Hitler. He commented on how often people, when at a loss for a point during a conversation with a German, will end up commenting on Hitler.

#73: H

I wrote an exam for him and, when I finished early, I drew a picture of a moose wearing a toque and a bunch of abstract doodles. I got the exam back a few weeks later and found the comment "This is the sign of a confused mind". I had no idea he felt so strongly against moose.