Yesterday’s Inside Higher Ed has a hilarious, but probably true, piece by Bob Blaisdell on how college students define the “ideal teacher.” Here is a glimpse:
Ideal Teacher should not be too young or too old. He should not be too enthusiastic. (This subject, these books, cannot be his life-blood, can they?) He should be a handsome monk, but in civilian clothing. His clothing should not be too fashionable, and of course not odd, but it should be pleasing to look at. A perfect formal informality. His get-ups should not show too much flair; the student should not think of the giddy and clever and outrageously dressed teacher from the Magic School Bus. Id Tea’s hair should be neat and can have just a little bit of gray — not a lot! He should not be bald — that’s either a weakness or rather too suggestive of nakedness. His face, however, should be clean-shaven, the delicate creases of his delight and pleasure at being in his students’ company revealing themselves more obviously thereby.
I'd love to see your version of this photograph. You could be reading Gordon Wood (or someone else if you think Wood “drastically underestimates…”) and listening to The Boss on your massive grammaphone.
I like it!