One of the assignments for my College Experience Students is to interview a professor about his or her philosophy of teaching. Some of my students have interviewed me, and I thought this one was particularly interesting, so I am posting my responses here to share.




1. Why did you decide to teach? Did you want to do something else?




I always wanted to be an actress, and my first major was theater. But, then I realized I would be a terrible waitress, so I decided that I wanted to be a speech writer and coach like Peggy Noonan. So, I interned with a Congressman and a Senator and worked in Washington before I decided that I hated politics. Teaching is a little big like theater and a lot about politics, but I didn't realize I was passionate about it until I accepted a teaching position at a county prison. It was there that I realized that this was what I wanted to do for life. However, I recognized that my unconventional teaching style was held at bay in a place like a prison. I decided that public school would present the same problem.




2. If you could do anything else, what would you do?




I love my job, so I am not in the market for a change. But, if I were in the position to pick another job, I would join the peace corps and work with children in developing nations.




3. What is your favorite kind of student?




I generally love all of my students, but the ones I love the most are the ones with a passion for learning. I can help any student learn grammar and mechanics, but the ones with passion want to learn more than what is written on a page. Those students stop by my office to talk about what they are learning in my class and other classes. Their excitement about learning is infectious.




3. What is you least favorite student like?




I don't like when students make excuses for why they can't do classwork. My parents didn't have a lot of money when I was in college, and so I had to work a few jobs. Since I had been pretty naughty in high school, I had to play a lot of catch up in college, so I had to study twice as hard to learn material. It was worth it to me. I also don't like when students feel that they have nothing to learn. We all have something to learn.




4. If you could work at a 4 year school would you [sic]?




I did teach at a 4 year school (Penn State), and I liked it. But, I love community college students because my focus here is on teaching and not research. There may be a time in my life when I want to do more research and less teaching, and then I might consider a switch, but, at this point, I can't say that it will happen. We can't predict the future, but we all grow and change, so I won't rule out the potential.




5. Is it hard to be a working mother?




Well, I believe all mothers work - even if their primary job is being at home with children. That is a lot of work. I have the ideal job for an out-of-home working mother. Sometimes it is stressful because I still have to maintain my household (the kids, the cats, the boss, the finances, the wash, the cleaning, the bathroom, the bedrooms, the cooking). An added stress is that my one son is disabled and has an intense therapy schedule. So, in addition to everything else that goes with motherhood, I have to be an advocate for his treatment. However, I wouldn't exchange any one part for another.




6. What do you do to relax? What are your hobbies?




In some ways, I feel that I exchanged many of my hobbies and interests for the gauntlet of wifedom and motherhood. Before marriage, I was an avid swimmer, hiker, camper, and bagpiper. I did a lot of volunteer work, and a lot of work with Civil War reenacting. My husband and I don't share any of these interests, so, after we got married, I let a lot of them slip away. Once we had children, I didn't have the time or the money to devote to the more expensive hobbies, and, they too, slipped away. The past year has really forced me to evaluate my passions, so I have focused on my love of music (all kinds - from classical to heavy metal), photography (black/white and digital), and nature. To relax, I generally play video games (um, the nerdy word ones) or write. I also have some friends in far away places that I visit when I need an escape.




7. Where will you be in ten years?




We can't predict the future, so I have no idea :-)




8. What advice can you give a freshman like me?




Enjoy this time in your life. I enjoyed college and graduate school, and I am glad I took the time to learn everything I could AND had a great time doing it. Once you graduate, life changes and you will never have the opportunity to revisit those years. Do your work, make some friends, take some time to make special memories, and march into the horizon :-)