“Man, I wanna be a math GTF!”
— Actual quote from a student, when told I “only” teach one class per term
Not that I want to discourage anyone from going to grad school or anything, but I think there might be just a wee bit of misunderstanding among undergraduates as to just what is involved in being an “overpaid GTF,” as the Oregon Commentator referred to us last week. So I thought I’d give a bit of a rundown on the real scoop.
I am a student and a teacher at the same time. On the student end, I take classes, do research and study for huge exams — to the tune of about 20-40 hours a week. I also teach a class each term. This means I give lectures, hold office hours, write and grade exams, compute and agonize over final grades, and organize a course Web site, for another 16-20 hours a week.
GTF as teacher
Pop quiz: Which takes longest?
(a) Writing, proofreading and copying a 50-minute midterm
(b) Grading the midterm (for about 35 students)
(c) Writing make-up exams for two students who overslept
Actually they all take about the same amount of time, seven to 10 hours each. This in the middle of having my own midterms to take! This is why, heartless as it seems, I never give make-up exams. I also grade over several days, to avoid insanity.
GTF as student
“Why would you want to study math?” I am often asked with a sneer. “What’s it good for, anyway?”
I am sure that many well-meaning students truly don’t mean to insult me when they say this. Maybe it’s some sort of weird way of conveying admiration. Anyway, aside from its myriad applications in biology, chemistry, physics, economics, statistics and every other science, math is good for expanding your brain to understand abstract concepts. Think of it as weightlifting for your mind.
And, despite popular opinion, even theoretical math is beautiful. Algebraic topology, for example, has no practical use at all that I know of, but I study it because it fascinates me to consider worlds that are totally unlike our own.
Believe it or not, I learn a lot by teaching. GTFs unfortunately don’t get to decide what should be taught. We’re handed a syllabus and told, “You have 10 weeks. Good luck.” So part of becoming a good teacher is figuring out what to emphasize and what to let the students figure out on their own. For example, in order to demonstrate a new concept clearly, should I avoid examples with a lot of messy algebra? Or should I give harder examples that might prepare students better for the homework? Both my teacher and student experiences affect my decisions on these and similar issues.
Despite these challenges, I find teaching immensely rewarding. After straining my own brain to learn the material required for my graduate work, it is often a relief to consider ideas I have mastered. But the most satisfying aspect of teaching is to see the light of understanding in students’ faces. It is an honor and a joy to bring a great concept to your attention, and to see 35 simultaneous flashes of epiphany.
Have a great year, and I’ll see you in class!