As an educator-to-be, I confess to Googling information more than I probably should. I use Google most during online discussions with my students. I can usually provide accurate and succinct answers on the spot- more often, student questions leave me in the dark. It’s in these instances that I resort to Googling. Initially, I felt ashamed and unqualified. How, after years of studying biochemistry, could I not answer a sophomore’s simple question?
I came to realize that today’s students are very different from the ones I knew when I was an undergraduate four years ago. Not only are their minds more open, but they’re also more engaged in their studies. They are not satisfied with being told 1+1=2. They also want to know why and how this is so. I can comfortably teach 1+1=2, but I find myself stumbling with the rest. Being challenged by my students pushes me to constantly keep learning. Now I’m able to answer the questions my students want answers to before they even ask.
I did have one question, though: If I could use Google to find these answers, why couldn’t my students do the same? The answer came from the emails they sent me. Despite many of my students being born and raised in English-speaking environments, the way they phrase their questions in emails is often vague and misleading. My students often start their queries without providing the background information I need to understand their problem and don’t check for crucial spelling mistakes, often sending me correction emails shortly after (“I mean ‘does not apply’, not than ‘does apply’!”). I don’t mean to belittle my students- I know better than most that developing critical analysis and creative thinking skills comes from asking questions and making mistakes. Rather, I mean knowing how to write an informative email is more important than knowing the difference between glucose and galactose.
I wish my students would remember everything I’ve taught them, but I know this isn’t a realistic expectation. Instead, while my students might not remember what amino acid leucine looks like I do hope they retain the soft skills (like writing legible emails) they began to develop in my class. This, more than anything, is my intent for teaching.
