Words of Innocence and Experience

Having been studying in the Foreign Language and Literature Department in Tsing Hua University for one and a half years, I have been enlightened by quite some professors. Each of the professors has different styles, though, and in order to make my learning more effective, being fully aware of the professors’ fashions is crucial. Through my experience of interacting (or passively being lectured) with the professors, they can be categorized into five groups.

The first kind of professors are ardent believers in knowledge, and they hope to transform students into fanatics like them. They have always been preaching the importance of knowledge and how it would change the world if students were ardent enough to pursue it. Owing to their remarkable excellence in scholarship, they are never satisfied with students’ academic performance and often cast dissatisfied criticisms on us. Particularly, if no student knows the answer to the questions they ask in class, it would trigger off extremely biting complaints.

When interacting with professors of the aforesaid kind, one has to go with the most meticulous caution since every improper utterance would offend them. One professor of mine, Professor α, was maddened when one classmate unintentionally made an inappropriate comment about the professor’s family background in one report due to insufficient understanding. The professor was full of rage and claimed that teaching our ignorant class was a great insult without realizing that such ruthless remark would defy our esteemed dignity.

Most students hold ambivalent feelings for the first kind of professors, for the professors are undeniably intellectual, yet they fail to know that severe captiousness is not necessarily the spur for students to improve. There seems to be a deep chasm between them and the students and it requires courage for either side to cross the boundary, if there should be anyone willing to do so. For my part, I secretly have some unbecoming sympathy towards the professors, as the chaotic and clamorous world has definitely disappointed them, and it can hardly turn into the magnificent castles they have built in the air of their hearts.

Secondly, there are professors whose erudition and modesty are admired by students, yet their ways of expressing themselves is not totally accessible. They are friendly and warm to the extent of amazing others, especially the first kind of professors. Every time I meet the second kind of professors, I feel an irrepressible to greet them and to know whether they are well.

Nevertheless, as learned as they are, what students can learn from them is strangely limited. Professor β and Professor γ are suitable representatives of this category, both well-read and gracious. However, Professor β mostly chats in class so that the materials covered is disorganized if I do not sort them out right after class. On the other hand, the way Professor γ talks is similar to murmurs, so in order to understand what it taught in class, I need to be able to hear the words first.

Another kind of professors excel both in knowledge and teaching methods due to their delightful charisma. While many of my classmates prefer professors who give little homework, the third kind of professors are manifest exceptions in the criteria. The classes taught by the professors are substantial and require much effort from students before and after class; still, one cannot help but comply with the professor’s guidelines.

Both Professor δ and Professor ε are specimens of this category. Admittedly, Professor δ is my favorite professor in the department. Whereas quite a few assignments are given all the time, I feel well informed in every class. Moreover, Professor δ persuades students to endeavor with gentility and fitting compliments. For the sake of vanity and the determination to improve, the majority of students would devote themselves to Professor ε’s class without much objection. Professor ε, whose eloquent speeches and revolutionary class activities are distinguished, is almost an idol-like figure to students. Therefore, no matter how unusual the requirements from Professor ε are, students strive for the best outcome with pleasure.

The reasons that form the third kind of professors’ success are their warm heart and formidable dedication to teaching. Professor δ constantly sends new information to students by e-mail and reminds us of current news in class. In addition, I found Professor ε memorizing the vocabularies which would be learned by heart by us later in class when I visited the office one morning. Therefore, with already much exertion from the professors, it is difficult for students not to be moved and spare no efforts.

As popular as the third kind of professors are, the ones belong to the fourth kind still have the upper hand securely. What constitutes the fourth kind of professors’ enormous popularity is pure human nature: students like to be taught by professors who are open-minded and not picky about students’ performance. The fourth kind of professors are tolerant of new trends, and few restrictions are set in their classes. When it comes to writing essay questions in the exams, no stereotypical answer is required and new ideas are welcomed. With several taut and compulsory courses students must take, being in the fourth kind of professor’s class is relatively relaxing and almost paradisiacal.

Yet, classes taught by the fourth kind of professors are sometimes too cozy for students to pay attention. Also, the grades given by the professors are, according to our common expression, incredibly “sweet.” Thus, one had better be good at self-discipline, or it is likely for students to slack off in class.

The four groups of professors above are mostly normal and accessible, regardless of their distinctions. The fifth kind of professors, nonetheless, are by no means ordinary. Their appearance is one of the reasons that make my department such an interesting environment to study in.

According to common standards, Tsing Hua University is celebrated for researching, and the fifth kind of professors live up to the image. Some can rarely be seen in the department building usually due to research plans or other unknown reasons. Conversely, the others teach their classes regularly, taking their responsibilities, but it is puzzling for me to keep up the pace with their thoughts, either because of their odd conversational style or their simply reading things from books. Even so, I respect the fifth kind of professors, seeing their silver hair and hearing their trembling voice. I guess that they must have really made contributions to the academic research fields.

Undoubtedly, there is much for me to learn from each of them, once adequate attempts are being made. Being so determined to an efficient learner, occasionally I question myself of whether I am consciously exposed to the threat of schizophrenia, trying hard to be accustomed to every teaching style.

Finally, my anxiety is proven to be meaningless. Although most professors are different, the characteristic they all share is being knowledgeable. After all, the purpose of entering college is to sharpen the skills for my future career, so every chance of learning should be seized. Professors happen to be the best people to guide me through the process, and to familiarize with them is a prerequisite.

Enough with high-sounding words being said, I am glad that professors in the department are diverse. If every of them behave in the same way, the whole learning thing can be extremely tedious. Frankly speaking, I would never manage to to be close to professors of certain kinds, yet such stubborn refusal would not obstruct my eagerness to learn and reverence I feel for every professor.