"I CONSIDER a lecture to be a success if I'm asked so many questions that I can't finish." Many students of the late Stephen Innes will recognize these words to be his. Last Monday, Sept. 5, History Prof. Stephen Innes passed away at the age of 58 after a long and courageous battle against leukemia.
Anyone who has taken a class with Innes knows very well that Innes was not only a brilliant American history connoisseur, but an impossibly adroit and dedicated teacher. His teaching style revolved around a deep caring for his students and the result was and continues to be pure success. At his funeral last week, students attended to not only mourn, but celebrate the life of an incredibly successful teacher. While his students undeniably learned innumerable lessons from him, perhaps teachers in our community should come together to acknowledge and learn at least one more lesson from theInnes: the importance of the student-teacher relationship.
First of all, professors should encourage students to ask questions in classrooms. A pure lecture without students interacting is usually less exciting than lectures where questions are encouraged. Professors may argue (correctly) that without questions, they can review more material in classes; however, when students ask questions, professors are forced to cover any leaps in logic or facts and therefore present the material better.
Other professors will reply that discussion sections are designed for this very purpose. However, there is a qualitative difference in a response from a teaching assistant versus a response from the actual professor. Oftentimes, TAs will be forced to teach discussions in subjects outside of their specialty and thus cannot provide assistance with the academic caliber of a professor. Innes, realizing this, taught his own discussion, not only to provide students with the best assistance, but also so he could get to know his students better. While in some circumstances this is simply not possible, professors would do well to make it possible.
The benefits, including better discussions, would be countless, but the most important benefit is one most of Innes' students have realized: a closer relationship between students and their professors. The results of this closer relationship are invaluable: Students would show greater academic growth, motivation, confidence and a greater sense of being involved in a community where professors and students interact.
Finally, professors should, as much as possible, take a greater part in the grading of their students' tests and papers. This would serve to bring professors and students closer together in at least two ways. First, professors would get to know their students better by actually reading their work. Second, students would feel closer to professors who, as busy as they are, actually take time to read their modest work.
There is one policy that runs counter to this philosophy that should be done away with immediately. In some classes, if students are uncomfortable with their grading, they can take their paper or test to their teacher, but are told that such a maneuver can only be done with the risk of getting their grade lowered if the teacher deems their grade was too high. Whether or not grades are actually lowered is not the issue. This policy alienates students and hurts the student-teacher relationship; students will believe, even if erroneously, that professors don't want to waste their time reading undergraduate work. Such a message only serves to add water to the already existing ocean between professors and most of their students.
Thomas Jefferson obviously valued the teacher-student relationship, as seen in his original design for the University, where students and professors lived together as a friendly academic community. Innes followed the footsteps of our University's founder, as he did everything in his power to bring himself closer to his students, as a professor and as a friend. Last Monday, the University lost among other things, an effervescent professor, a warm friend and even a philosopher in his own right. Members of the University, especially professors, should take a moment to reflect and even emulate what can be called the Innesian style of teaching: one that orbits around a deep caring for the community.
Sina Kian's column appears Thursdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at skian@cavalierdaily.com.
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