Hey Jackson! Many thanks for stopping by. Yes, the authentic teaching self should be mutable, I just wonder whether the resultant self would still be the ‘authentic self’ or it would now become the ‘modified self’ lol!

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Fellow female instructor here and I definitely agree- I have noticed students seeming to expect me to have leniency for them- the article you linked pointed out the difference between being a friend and being friendly, and I think it’s definitely a delicate line to walk. I agree with you that being friendly and approachable is important, but also cultivating respect and having students understand that you’re not going to go easy on them!

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I definitely agree that equality is not the same as equity! Specifically, as an instructor we have such a responsibility to help our students succeed, but it can often feel like not enough. After an individual has a better understanding of a student’s unique situation and learning style, it’s definitely easier to adapt and give them the best opportunity to succeed!

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I definitely empathize with your thoughts about how sometimes older professors can seem less empathetic to the struggles of undergraduate students! I am a TA for a large lecture class, and I find myself wanting to respond to panicked emails with kindness. I also agree that department support is HUGE- before I ever taught my first solo class, I had a week-long training with my department and always felt supported. I’m glad you have a great support system, and I’m sure you’ll rock it!

I don’t know other fields. In computer science, a programming language is evolving during the time, e.g. Java 11 vs Java 1. More complex Data structure shown up; Cloud computing is much different in 2006. First machine learning research was 1950, and now machine learning is everywhere. There is always new knowledge in the computer science field.

I agree Dr. Nelson- perhaps being general is the best answer at times.

Dana- honestly, at times, yes. However, I think I use the flaws and the slip-ups as a chance to explain to them that 1. I am human just like them, but more importantly, 2. As I mention in the course, while delivery is important, it is oftentimes the content that matters most. So yes, while I do feel pressure to be cognizant of how many times I say “um” and “soooooo….”, I also use my own mistakes as teaching tools, which I think helps.

Yes, I will try to accommodate as many as possible of students in the class, but I won’t try to accommodate all students in the class.

For example, open question research or build new knowledge on top of existing knowledge. I believe we always can learn something new.

Medha – I think your post is very insightful and Sarah Deel’s admission of having some difficulties in finding her teaching self also resonated with me. I think discovering your authentic teaching self is a process that involves not just you as a teacher, but your audiences. I believe that teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels may require different approaches and styles. Moreso, teaching adults and working professionals may take a different approach from folks with little or no experience. For instance, as a professional and working adult, I do not appreciate any professor who seems to talk over me or seems dismissive of my inputs. I fully welcome engaging with others. I hope that, eventually, my teaching style will demonstrate some of the things I like as a student. But, overall, I will acknowledge that it will take an iterative process to get my teaching mojo.