On Educators’ Education

One of the difficult lessons that all teachers face when they first meet a group of students is that not all students arrive with the same motivation, goals, and experiences as the teacher. This is certainly true in liberal arts classrooms and mathematics classrooms, but it is even true in many programs that prepare students to enter specific professions. Students come to you from different places and they are going different places; do not assume the path you took is the one your students are taking. Do not assume your experience and your education is just what your students need. Further, do not assume your recollections of your education are accurate and do not assume your interpretation of the importance of your education is accurate.