Professors in Training

Ok, so here it goes: my first blog post. I would first like to say a few things about this blog. The purpose is to share news relating to graduate education, in Canada specifically, and on a more global scale. Posts will aim to serve two audiences: graduate students involved in the study of various subjects, offering information and support, and scholars interested in the study of graduate education as an interdisciplinary subject of research, discussing recent topics of debate. Oddly enough, I fit into both groups- I am an incoming graduate student setting out to study graduate students.

Today I read an article that I felt really reiterated an inhibition I have regarding graduate education and the training of academics. A Time to Teach: Reflections upon Pedagogy in the Life of a Graduate Student by Kevin Carey takes a look at one of the many hats worn by the graduate student: that of teacher. This role marks an important step in the transition from amateur to professional on the path to an academic career. I have long pondered the fact that university professors- those who teach students at the highest level of education- are not (typically) required to complete coursework in education or any sort of teacher training. A doctorate in one’s chosen discipline has long been the accepted standard –a license- for teaching at the university level, while educators at the pre-post-secondary level must complete an education degree, focused on the art of teaching a subject, not just the subject matter itself. I’m sure if you asked any university student they could easily share a story of the professor from hell who, while undoubtedly respected in their field for their significant contributions, struggled (if they were even willing to try!) to help their students grasp the material. Certainly this isn’t the norm; my own university experience is tainted by memories of scatter brained professors, but I have also been lucky to have had some really great teachers and mentors.

So, is it realistic to expect those professors who can’t teach/don’t enjoy teaching their undergraduate students to help their graduate students, as professors in training, learn this important skill? Isn’t this process reproducing a culture of what Carey calls “antipedagogy” and ultimately creating an environment hostile to learning? Indeed, how often do we hear graduate students grumble about their underlings and the tedious task of marking? Many universities offer professional development workshops for instructors, as well as graduate students, focusing on course development, methods of instruction and other topics related to teaching. Unfortunately, however, these opportunities are optional and ironically typically availed of by those who want to learn to teach, and not those who desperately need to learn. One quickly begins to question the quality of higher education when teaching is devalued to such a point. Instead, research is the almighty standard by which we judge academics; while I understand and appreciate the importance of this skill, I don’t feel that it should be the primary method by which we evaluate our peers or emerging scholars. I was once told by a Department Chair that they (the faculty hiring committee) did not care about what teaching experience the applicant had, but how reputable the journals were in which he/she had been published. What does that say about the importance of students in the academy, some of whom (those who are not entirely discouraged, that is!) will become the professors of the future? Just some food for thought…