Grad School Report

Ofda.

Grad school is in full swing. I've got the feeling I could study 16 hours a day and still not get everything I want to done. I suppose that's what I'm supposed to be feeling.

Yesterday, I learned something about graduate school professors: they have much less responsibility to the student. This isn't to say they don't care. But, here's a quote from one of my professors last night:

"I guess this is the point the professor tells the class it makes sense to him and moves on."

The class had been working on a complicated proof and everyone sat silently, trying to write as much down as they could. I was pretty lost. The professor was talking out what was happening, trying to make sure he had it right.

He finally nodded his head, told us the above quote, and proceeded to erase the other half of the board and continue lecturing.

Well, some of my other professors make a lot of sense now. Viewed in the light of this lower burdon, perhaps some of my other professors aren't as bad as I thought they might be.

I don't agree with the notion that it isn't the responsibility of the professor to make the students understand. I certainly cover the same material two, three, or even more times to make sure my students have a firm grasp.

I do understand this teaching philosophy, though. There is only so much a professor can explain within the class period, and a graduate student does need to spend a lot of time going through it on his or her own.

Well, I went to the library and grabbed two more books. I'll be spending the next few hours trying to figure it out. So it goes, I suppose.