There’s a saying “little kids, little problems, big kids, big problems.” Being that my own kids are 7 and under, I didn’t quite appreciate this phrase until I took a full-time position as a college professor. Now sitting in this role, with roughly 60-100 students I interact with weekly through classes in a semester plus the students I advise, I want moms of those bigger kids to know that we care, too.
Speaking for myself, but I’d guess also for most college professors, we care deeply about the individuals we get to know, and feel a strong sense of responsibility to guide and assist our students.
We have the unique opportunity to watch them in those first days, weeks, months when they come to campus bright-eyed and naïve and watch them grow and mature years later and ultimately, adjust to adulthood. While you have let them go to this new world, feeling they are independent and navigating their new life completely on their own, they are really anything but alone. They have many waiting for them, waiting to help them every step of the way, with new resources like ways for us to share when someone may be struggling. Someone is looking out for your student every day because we really do care.
College students go through a lot of change in a short amount of time.
Compared to when I was a student myself, college students go through so much more. They have many more things to stress about, which is why we care so much – we see that. We honor that. We try to take that into account while also maintaining standards and expectations across our classes. And while we may not always be their favorite, or give them the grades they want, I hope I can reassure you that…
…we genuinely care about your student.
…we look out for your student.
…pride and joy are feelings we feel, too, when your student does well.
…we say “dang, you were so close” as we grade something incorrectly, hoping things go better the next time.
…we are passionate about what we teach, which means we do get carried away sometimes. Though not everything that’s taught is “life or death,” we do believe what we’re teaching is helping your student grow.
…failing is a good thing sometimes. But those that fail and reach out are often our favorites.
…no matter what your student shares with me, I keep their privacy, earn their respect, but will intervene if necessary.
…despite not keeping traditional office hours, we are available a lot of the time because we want your student to get it.
…we are wives, husbands, moms, dads – and do have to go home sometimes, too.
The world is throwing our students a lot of curveballs these days. And while my perspective certainly can’t speak for every professor out there, I honestly believe I speak for a good proportion of them. We care, too.
