Have you ever wondered (as I do often), why is it that many highly intelligent, erudite people are such poor teachers? This is a question that likely occurs on college campuses, but goes far beyond the realm of academia. Thankfully, I have been fortunate enough that this has not been my experience at the University of Wyoming.
Nevertheless, the issue of what I refer to as “the scholar problem” remains: why do high levels of knowledge, education, and even intelligence not necessarily equate to effective teaching skills?
There are several possible explanations for this phenomenon.
At the university level, one may simply be financial. Many times professors in academic institutions are primarily compensated for their research work as opposed to their work as instructors. Whether it is intentional or not, this can result in the apathy, distraction or disinterest of teachers in the classroom.
Another explanation may be that professors or teachers originally enter into the classrooms of their fields with great zeal and passion, but over the years lose their fire due to student disinterest and/or lack of engagement. Sadly, I have seen this all too often throughout my academic career.
I think lack of student engagement is often spurred and perpetuated by the intimidation of students by professors who are highly intelligent and, often connectedly, somewhat aloof. This is highly tied to the final and what I believe to be the most likely explanation for “the scholar problem.”
Professors are highly educated individuals of specific areas of focus and study. Over time, if one is not careful, it is all too possible to lose sight of the basics of a subject and become lost in the lofty complexities of higher level thinking and/or advanced areas of that subject.
This can result in the “Einstein problem”—which is actually false regarding Einstein himself—of being unable to comprehend the basics of a subject and thus communicate them to students or, more realistically, a lack of sympathy in understanding student struggles with material and content and even the thought to simply cover the basics with students in the first place.
Students are often intimidated by the intelligence of their professors and feel unsafe in asking questions if it is not communicated that it is OK to do so.
This is an important reminder here at UW as it is on all college campuses: to be an effective teacher, one must foster an academic environment which encourages questions and one must not lose sight of the basics of a subject, nor fail to sympathize with student struggles.
