The joy of teaching

The first question people ask me when I say I am a prof at UBC is, "what do you teach?" As someone who does primarily research but still has a teaching portfolio I find that it is a difficult question to still answer. My main job is to teach graduate students how to do research in the field of biomechanics. I have to say it gives me great joy to do what I do because I mainly get the creme de la creme of students. My students want to study with me and often travel to work with me. I have had students from BC, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Iran, Amsterdam, Germany, Australia, Mexico, US, and of course, Vancouver. Typically one does not get too many poor students this way, but even so I do find it stressful meeting a new student the first time.

It doesn't take too long until we've found an understanding of how my lab works and the expectations are. For many, it is their first exposure to working with people with spinal cord injuries so that is very new. I love watching them learn and discover for themselves what research question they want to tackle. After that it is a struggle to see them develop their projects, work with equipment that can be so finicky and with a population that has many health challenges. However once they get through it and data is collected, analysed and synthesised, it's fun to see them get through their thesis successfully. I'm amazed at how much they can learn and accomplish in such a relatively short time.

They are amazing people who not only are highly intelligent but often artistic or athletic or both! They have a passion for learning and often go on to work in research labs, clinics or do professional training like medicine, physiotherapy or occupational therapy. Why wouldn't I like my job.

As mentioned in previous blogs I teach within a special program called the Health Mentors Program. My role is to supervise the 51 medical students who are in small groups of health students along with a mentor over a 16 mo block. Students write what they learn after each session and I read those and write back to them, responding to what they've learned and give guiding concepts or questions for next time. Reading what they learn in their groups is fantastic. They discover the human element of medicine, meeting the person with a disability or chronic illness. So many things make sense to the students once they have met with their mentors. Again I feel so privileged to teach and dialogue with these young adults as they prepare to become physicians. 

Maybe my job isn't what people think when they ask, "what do you teach?" However my role of teaching young adults in  the university system is a total joy and for many faculty I am sure their favourite thing is seeing the pieces connected in someone's mind. It is a gift to do what I do and I hope my enthusiasm comes through to the students. I have learned so much from these individuals as well. I hope that I maintain my passion for teaching well up to when I retire, but hope I recognise it when my time is finished to let another young faculty member inspire the next generation.