My First Semester Teaching

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In the fall of 1987 I taught my first college classes—two sections of ethics at a major midwestern university. I admit to being scared of speaking in front of 40 students who weren’t much younger than me. What would I talk about for an hour three times a week? What was I going to say for 16 weeks? Could I really do what so many professors I idealize seem to do with such ease?

Well, I found out quickly that I could talk for an hour easily:) In fact, I enjoyed it thourougly. It took time to become comfortable; not until my second year did it seem natural. Still, even after many years of teaching I still felt some jitters on the first day of a class. Yet, at the same time, I was thrilled knowing that I was the professor and this was my turf. I did my best to put everything I had into it, even if it was a topic that I had covered many times.

Yes some students were unpleasant, some uninterested, but some eager to learn—the kind teachers live for. In the end, I’m grateful I had the opportunity to engage with so many students—between 8,000 and 10,000 is a good estimate.

I recall many of them fondly to this day.