I am happy to be a university professor

This week I would like to share with you the personal opinion of professors about our work, our profession, how we see ourselves.

I summarize the responses, collected in the social networks.

LEARNING EXPERIENCE

• Charlotte: We learn as we teach. Teaching requires a constant improvement of the mind. That keeps you young.
• Deepak: It is the joy of knowing and the satisfaction of giving it back in a refined manner what you know and have learnt.
• Kirsten: The challenge of acquiring new knowledge and passing it on.

CHALLENGE

• Keshav: I love teaching because it gives me an opportunity to interact with young minds.
• Denis: It’s knowing that we have challenged not only our wee students but colleague as well! I received this email recently: Sometime when I finish with you I need a brain massage (smile) enjoying every minute”
• Ammini: It puts you in the right environment, intellectual colleagues, academic and cultural activities and a whole bunch of young enthusiastic students.
• Gregory: I feel great being a professor because of the “high” I get when I leave the classroom every day!

PROUD

• Wane: Being a Professor is just great and natural, it is a coveted title and I am proud of it because I worked and earned it.
• Ashu: Can anyone get such love (from students) and respect in any other profession…?
• Ralph: Teaching profession is the noblest of all professions in this world of human affairs.

REWARD

• Jorge: I don’t know if I want to do anything else but teaching at this point in my career.
• Charlotte: Sometimes there is a phone call or a letter from someone who remembers a phrase, an answer, an encouragement. That’s a big reward.
• Ravi: When I feel sick I raise up muster some strength and take a class. After one hour I get renewed energy. I am happy to be a teacher.
• Mohandas: I chose teaching as a profession way back in 1968,… and I am still in love with my profession, teaching.
• Mike: An hour in a class room with enthusiastic students gives you enough stimuli to face the problems.
• Shubash: Today I have completed over 40 years in this job and still admire of my decision. When students look into my eyes and listen to you, I felt satisfied and even great
• Janet: It’s a hard job, but I love it like no other job I’ve ever had.

CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY / CHANGE AGENT

• Yasmin: I feel that I have made a small but value added contribution to the society.
• Howard: My job is …  to help others to see and work politically to achieve some measure of social justice and transformation.
• Rup: My passion is working with my students in a lab setting. Many of my former students are working in the industry and that’s what makes my job worthwhile.
• Sushil: Another thing that makes me feel very good is that I keep running into my students and it is so good to know that most of them have found very good jobs after two years at a community college.
• Kate: My satisfaction came in large part as a “change agent” in their lives.
• Dugdale: I enjoy most is seeing my students faces light up when “they get it” and watching them become a professional in their field of Physical Therapy.
• Richard: I love the impact that I’ve had on my “kids”.

HELP OTHERS

• Penny: I feel that I am molding new nurses and getting them started appropriately. I just love to teach. When I stop loving what I do, then I will stop.
• Barry: Each year and each class is a new beginning. I love what I do in the classroom. Well-rounded students are the ultimate outcomes of today’s professors.
• Mohammad: As a student I used to read to pass my own exams but now I am reading to ensure my students pass with merit!
• Chris: It’s great to feel that you’re really helping people and having an impact on lives.
• Jane: I always feel great every time am teaching my students, we are part of their future because we are there to support and help them.

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Profs are the inspiration for this blog and for Gaudeamus, built to help them to keep changing the world.

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