What I learned in university

Last week, a student told me that she enjoyed reading about my struggles in university. I realized that I've never written anything about teaching and why I like to teach. Particularly, why I like tutoring students online or in small groups. So, this week I'd like to talk about the importance of the struggles I had at university and how they shaped me into becoming a better graduate student.

I attended university in Toronto, Canada a number of years ago. More than I'd care to admit. I'm not one of those students who like to think fondly back to High School. My family moved around; I went to two High Schools; I never seemed to get the knack of "fitting in." I like school, didn't study much and did really well in English and History.

When I was good at the subject, I was a very good student who got "A". In university, my grades were good but not excellent until the latter years. I did, however, work very hard and read a great deal. I was always interested in the information that we didn't cover on in the class. For example, when I took French Renaissance History I became intrigued by Ferdinand Braudel and his approach to history. When I took Shakespeare, I read all the materials that weren't on the syllabus.

This approach didn't help me as an undergraduate. Undergraduate education is, after all, about getting a base for the studies that follow. You need to thoroughly understand the readings that are given at this base level. I tended to deviate from the pre-arranged path and go off on my own. As a graduate student, this natural curiosity helped me greatly. It helped as well that I was older, and consequently more organized. This meant that I used to prepare my questions before, not during, my classes. Of course, I had the training of library school to teach me the right way and the wrong way of doing research by then.

Most of the problem of getting good marks is understanding where to get good information. I already knew about this. The 'net sometimes allows students to thing they are doing good work if they simply search for a few references on Google Scholar or Wikipedia. They write dissertations using Wikipedia to back up their research questions. It is so easy to think this is 'good work' and ignore the obvious, really good reference materials right under our noses in the Digital Library. Unfortunately, the 'net doesn't usually provide us with the right material unless we dig deeper.

What I learned in university, over the course of several different occasions, was that I didn't really know how to learn effectively. I resisted attempts, by the university, to go writing labs thinking that these were for other students, students who were failing. Of course, I could've spared myself some time and trouble if I'd learned about how to construct a research paper effectively in my very first year of studies. I didn't understand, when I was a new student, that my words and all my research should be earning me much higher grades. I had to wait for time and experience to get these grades, grades I could have gotten if I'd just accepted that there were things I needed to learn.

Now, when I look back, I want other students to learn from the mistakes I made so long ago. I was a good student, curious and bright. The principles of education haven't really changed. Do good research. Learn to use language effectively. Demonstrate that you have thought carefully and analysed the questions that you are attempting to answer. Answer the questions that are given by the instructor instead of something else. Ask for information if you don't understand the questions you are given.

Like the knight in Stephen Leacock's story, I have tried to ride off in all directions many times. I have had to learn to focus and think about the hard questions posed in university classes. I had to learn that taking the time to think was not a bad thing but was, rather, required by the content of the texts that I was trying to study. It took time to do this and practice. Now, it is my earnest wish that all students not do what I did during the early years of my university education. I want my students, and I mean you my readers, ask for help and try to learn more effectively without thinking it makes them weaker, but understanding that asking and accepting help makes you stronger.

KB