Maybe your Professors ARE Smarter than you Think!

Have you ever had a professor, sat through their class for an entire semester, critiqued their teaching style and judged them when it came to...well, almost anything? Because I am that type of person. I judge. And I especially judge my professors, holding them to a higher degree than most, since it is them I am supposed to learn from. Since high school I have done this. I love learning and believe it is one of the most important aspects of a person's life. To me, in order to learn, everyone must have a teacher who knows. I've had my fair share of cruddy teachers who didn't know squat and didn't care about teaching anything but their personal lives. But, because of my previous bad experiences I've judged too harshly, especially with regards to my graduate professors.

Since I am a creative writing major my professors are also concentrated in that area. I have the opportunity to read their published work. For about a year into my graduate program reading my professors' publications never occurred to me before. Then I read one of my poetry professor's book of poetry this past winter break and now I am reading a professor's non-fiction novel.

As I swipe (on my kindle) through the pages of this book, I am disappointed in myself for being so judgemental when it comes to my professors. Emily Raboteau was a fiction workshop professor of mine last fall. Prior to taking her class I was enrolled in fiction workshops with other professors and expected their teaching style. It took me quite a long time to adjust to her way of teaching; not because it was unique or odd, just because I was used to something a bit different. Instead of adapting I grew quiet in her class and chose not to participate as much in order to avoid my discomfort. I judged. And I stewed in my judgement.

Her non-fiction book, Searching for Zion: The Quest for Home in the African Diaspora, is an amazing accomplishment. I am only half way through, so I cannot give a complete review, but Emily is quite brilliant. She shares personal, vulnerable feelings with the world in order to connect with readers and pull them into her story with unique details. I won't spoil it, so in general I'll just state that although she and I aren't and haven't been in too many similar circumstances, I still sense the importance of her cause and share the general sentiments that she writes of. Also, she travels quite a bit and to locations that I don't have the guts to visit. I admire her passion for the truth, for her devotion to herself and her courage throughout. She is inspirational, while maintaining a realistic view of the world. The use of language, simple and yet precise and strong structure has greatly impacted my own writing. By reading this book, I have gained more knowledge about religions and regions in the world that I had known little about prior. I am shamed that I didn't take advantage of her expertise while in her class. I wish I spent more time speaking with her about my own novel, her opinions and her own writings.

So the moral of the story? Don't judge a book by it's cover. So lame, I know. But in this case most definitely true. Teachers have lives outside the classrooms, their creativity extending further than my own talent, and in my naivety I presumed incorrectly. I ordered three other books written by professors in my program and hope to write reviews for each. I can never stop learning and I am grateful that my program and speciality allows me to simply order from a bookstore my professors' novel or book of poetry and have them guide me even when not in class.

Below is a link to Emily's website and to Amazon where you can order her book.

Emily's Website

Buy Her Book on Amazon