The saying goes, "Those who can, do, and those who can't, teach."
For some the saying is a way of life, and for others it is a reminder of how high we regard those who teach.
I guess I should start by talking about all of those people who have had an impact on my life that fit the saying. There are several I could probably mention, but the one that stands out the most is a journalism professor at Ball State University.
Once when I was interviewing campus officials to dispel rumors, friends of mine taking a journalism course tipped me off to a certain professor that was using my column as an example of bad journalism.
This professor cited that I was "making up quotes" and the university should see to it that I was removed from the Daily News staff.
Had the professor actually had any decent experience in the industry, he might realize that one should research topics thoroughly. Because he decided against researching, he committed an act of slander in the classroom.
Had he taken the time to write it down, it would be libel. This professor is one who can't, so this one teaches.
Not all teachers and professors fit this mold. I am sure many graduating students know a professor or teacher who has made a difference or, at least, stood out.
Quite possibly the professor who stood out the most in my academic career taught a few of my classes from 1991-'93. He was a known wild man among the students and faculty at the time.
One day he arrived late to class in the same clothes he had been wearing the previous day. His eyes were bloodshot, his clothes were wrinkled and he reeked of alcohol. He took a second to sort through his materials and was obviously not prepared for class.
He looked around the room at the class and said something that I'll never forget: "Do any of you feel like learning today? [he paused a few seconds] Good. I don't feel like teaching. Class is dismissed."
Three of us ended up drinking with him at the Red Dog Saloon later that day.
Not all professors have taught me how to party. There are those who taught me how to edit audio and video, those who taught me how to write copy and those who helped me figure out why I didn't go to Ball State to become a CPA or biologist.
There are so many classes I've taken to get me here, but only a few professors and teachers who have actually stood out in that time. As I look at what I've learned from those professors who have stood out, most of what I was taught that made a difference in my life wasn't taught in the classroom.
These professors had real-world and industry experience. They knew what they were talking about from experience and not because they studied the "rules" in a book.
A department head pulled me aside one day to give me tips about how to better manage my time and my staff. A professor, my adviser, taught me networking skills I still use daily. Finally, there was the professor who taught me ways to improve my writing and myself.
These people made a difference. They break the mold of the traditional stereotype that teachers teach because they can't do anything else. I guess I should revise the saying to read, "There are those who can, and there are those who can't that teach."
As you leave to enter the "real world," keep in mind those who have made you who you are. When you finally realize the difference they've made in your life, thank them.
Write to Aaron at rantinrex@hotmail.com
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