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No two professors are exactly the same; however, many of them can fall into a particular category that defines their general teaching style. These generalizations can be good or bad, and its important to know how your professor works so that you can adapt your work accordingly. The following list is a breakdown of all the types of teachers I’ve encountered over the years as well as a tip on how I’ve dealt with them. Please enjoy!
The Slacker: This professor can’t be bothered to grade assignments outside of school. With this professor, it’s expected that the class will fall behind schedule. This usually results in The Slacker trying to cram in all of the remaining lesson in the last two painful weeks of school. It doesn’t help that they don’t give you back any of your previous assignments so you’re forced to ballpark what you THINK your grade might be. TIP: Keep a record of how you believe you did on all of their assignments to help keep track of your grade. Also read ahead, this way you aren’t bombarded with information in the final weeks.
The General Education Professor: You are only taking this class because your school requires this. This professor KNOWS this, and they treat the class as exactly what it is. They don’t ask very much of you, and their study guides seem an awful lot like the quiz they give you during the following class. This can be a good or bad thing; if you are uncomfortable with the subject, then this professor is sparing you from a difficult semester. However, if you were actually interested in the class, the lack of enthusiasm may be frustrating. TIP: If you are not confident in your abilities to do well in the subject, befriend the teacher enough to voice your concerns. In my personal experience, teachers like this will take the students’ feelings into account when teaching material and making exams. If you are on the other end of the spectrum and genuinely wanted a challenging class, try reading up on extra material outside of class and form your own projects! It’s a lot of fun and will still help when it comes to exam time.
The Perfectionist: Missing a comma? Two points off. Margins of the page slightly off? One point for every page that is wrong. This professor finds their joy in finding the smallest reasons to deduct points on assignments. No one in the class is safe from their scrutinizing eye. TIP: Always go to a writing center or have a friend proof-read before submitting any essays. If all else fails, attempt to meet with The Perfectionist during office hours to look over the paper. It’s better that they catch those tiny mistakes early so you have time to correct it.
The Scrambler: The only way to follow this professor’s train of thought is to write down literally every word they are saying. If you zone out for even a second, there is no way to figure out how they changed the topic to something seemingly unrelated. This makes note-taking a difficult task, but with practice (and often a shorthand key) you can make sense of their multi-directional lectures. TIP: Although I’m not one for rewriting notes, this is the one instance where it can be a major help for understanding the professor. When you rewrite your notes, you can connect trains of thought that were scrambled during the class period. Also, if allowed, record you professor’s lecture so you can ensure you don’t miss anything.
The Tech-Savy: This professor likes to flaunt his technical know-how by assigning a plethora of projects utilizing web applications. By the end of the semester, you have a handful of new accounts that you will probably never use again and don’t know what to do with anymore. For people who enjoy technology this is fine, but for people who struggle to pick up on website mechanics, this could prove dangerous for your grade. TIP: If you see the projects on the syllabus, ask about the technology as soon as you can. Professors have slightly more free time in the first few weeks of the semester and may be able to walk you through the required programs. Also keep a log in the front of your class notes for any new accounts you signed up for, along with their password so you don’t forget them.
The High-Expectation Syllabus (Good): This professor wants to see you put out your best work, and provides many opportunities for you to showcase your knowledge. The course load is heavy, but it is also thought provoking and keeps you engaged during class. Even though the class requires some late night work sessions, you don’t mind as much because the professor gave you a chance to put your personal spin on a project and challenged you to go above and beyond. TIP: As corny as this sounds, make the most of this class. These professors have been some of the best (in my opinion) and they want nothing more for you to succeed. Keep an open line of communication with them so they see you’re putting in as much effort as they hope for and they’ll likely be more than willing to give you extra time if you fall behind on their demanding syllabus.
The High-Expectation Syllabus (Bad): This professor tries to demand a large amount of work from the class, but unlike the good high-expectation syllabus professor that provides engaging work and is flexible enough to work with you, this professor leaves the class to crumble under a mountain of work. In short, this is the professor that gives you more work than all the rest of you classes combined and complains when the class struggles to keep up. In more severe cases, you will notice a significant amount of students dropping the class in order to salvage their GPA. HUGE TIP: With this professor, the most important thing you can do is talk to other people in the class with you. There is a high chance that you are not the only one overwhelmed, and forming a reliable study/work group can help keep your head above water. In extreme cases, I advise going with classmates to speak with the professor in an attempt to reach a compromise on the syllabus. If a majority of the class is showing the same problems with the workload, the professor is likely to ease up on the demands.
The Team-Builder: This professor sees the good in assigning group projects and are not afraid to force clashing personalities together. For students who prefer to work alone, this power-wielding professor is their worst nightmare. They try to make sure that friends are separated into different groups to “avoid slacking off” and is adamant about not letting people change groups or work on their own. TIP: In reality you have two options here; you can either try to beg the professor to work on your own or you can instantly began making allies. The second you realize it’s a team-based course, look for people that seem trustworthy. If there are randomly assigned groups, try to look into the topics in advance so there isn’t an awkward ‘no one wants to step forward’ moment. If you know the subject material and take charge, you can delegate responsibility and make sure everyone does their share.
The Pushover: In this classroom, its more likely that the class clown or the popular kid are more in charge than The Pushover is. This teacher appeases their students one time too many and ends up being the butt of their students’ jokes. As a result, not much gets done in this class because the students are creating too much of a ruckus and the professor has to fight to wrangle everyone’s attention. TIP: Ignore the antics of your fellow classmates and do you best to show your professor respect. They will respect you back.
This Best Friend: This is the professor you are totally going to friend on social media after their class ends. They are friendly and approachable and they make every class they teach interesting. People aren’t rushing out of their seats the second the bell rings because they will sit back and answer questions. The best part is, because they’re so approachable, there isn’t much apprehension in raising your hand if you’re confused. They’re just an awesome professor and an awesome person. TIP: Enjoy the class!
This is all based on professors I’ve had in the past, so there may be a few types I am missing. If you guys liked this, let me know and I can make a part two!!
2&3/100 Days of Productivity ~ 10/15/17 It's been a busy weekend! On Saturday I spent the day instructing the color guard before they performed at Yamaha Cup. (I didn't get home until 3am but I absolutely loved it) Sunday was spent preparing for the week ahead: setting up the weekly spread for my bullet journal, buying food, and reviewing my notes for Experimental Psychology. Good times!
7/100 Days of Productivity~ 10/19/17 I learned how to make this watercolor effect for my notes and bullet journal! It’s been one of those ‘meh’ days. I made an effort to get my oil changed and found out that the nearest jiffy lube that has the oil filter I need is an hour and a half away. I consider it productive because I got out and made the effort, despite failing.
Every year I find that the mid-semester is when my personal productivity is at an all time low. Motivation plummets as the workload for classes increases and professors are starting to cram in assignments before the end of the semester. It is stressful and can make or break your semester.
Here are some tips to get you through this difficult time!
-Maintain any previous study schedules you have been using this semester. Mid-semester is when these plans start to fall apart; students get lax with their schedules and then suddenly you are two weeks behind on your readings. Fight through the desire to push your rigid schedule aside and power through. IF YOU HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TO IGNORE YOUR STUDY ROUTINE- don’t panic. My best advice is to make a revised schedule before you truly fall behind and recruit a friend to hold you to it. Friends are great at holding you accountable if you think you can’t keep on top of it.
-Go to the library. Seriously, the library is a wonderful place that will make you feel productive if you are feeling lethargic. When everyone around you is working hard it kick-starts your motivation.
-Maximize your work during periods of motivation. Sometimes you just get short bursts of motivation where you can sit and do work for hours- make sure you jump on these whims and accomplish whatever you can. Similar to these motivated moments, there are also times where you can’t get yourself to sit down and work no matter how hard you try. By maximizing your productivity when you’re motivated, you can balance out these periods of inactivity.
-Have an emergency plan in case everything goes down the drain. It’s always best to be prepared for the worst case scenario. If your mental health takes a significant and rapid blow, have a plan of what you will do to keep yourself semi-functional. Maybe you have to alter your work schedule to working for five minutes with a thirty minute coloring break. Maybe you have a brand new set of highlighters to open if you cannot force yourself to read that twenty page articles.It is always important to have an emergency plan because little spurts of work is better than not working at all.
-Get some fresh air. Getting away from your desk is a good way to refresh for a few minutes, and getting outside gets your blood flowing and can help energize you. Sometimes I like to just walk around the block and look at the beautiful sights of nature around me (it sounds cheesy, but it gets me out of my head to appreciate the world for a moment).
-Work Hard/Break Hard. When you are working, do not let yourself lose momentum and and stray over to social media. When you take your scheduled breaks, do not let your mind linger on your schoolwork. You worked hard for that break and need to fully enjoy it. If you continue to think about work, you will not feel as refreshed when your return from your break.
-Stay off Netflix. Please, just trust me.
-Join a network of motivators (i.e. the amazing studyblr community). Sometimes the best motivation comes through the support of others. Everyone here in the studyblr community is/has gone through this mid-semester slump, and they are the best people to talk to if looking for advice (or even just a friend to relate to).
I hope at least one of these can help you get through this difficult point of the semester!!