I have mentored a number of students by now, both undergraduate and graduate. My level of hand-holding varies with the student's experience and need for direction, but it usually feels a bit like parenting.
With my new mentee (M.), things have gone one step further. It just so happens that Hubby is a T.A. in one of M.'s main courses which lays a foundation for many of the concepts in our discipline. A few times now when I was explaining something to M., he said, "Oh, I remember [Hubby's name] explaining this in class." Hubby, in turn, has gotten similar comments from M. when he comes to Hubby's office hours. I think now we just have to adopt him :)
The perverse incentives of academia
6 years ago
3 comments:
At times Labmate and I feel like we're parenting our undergrads. Especially when we remind them to study for an exam that we are proctoring!
It does kind of sound like he's going to follow you home soon! (Not in the creepy stalker type way, but in the puppy following you home kind of way.)
LOL!
This sounds quite familiar. My parents (both now retired) both taught French - my Mum to 11-16 year-olds, and my Dad to 17-18 year-olds. So many of my mum's students would pass on to my Dad. My Mum would spend the last few weeks with her students telling them all kinds of stories about my Dad, who would then spend the first few weeks of the next school year refuting them, before making up some of his own!
Amanda - the youngings certainly seem to fall into that role naturally, don't they ;) Or is it us that fall into the parenting role?
Cath - I now see where you get your sense of humor ;) I am still waiting for the "But Mommy, Daddy said I should study for the test" ;)
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