By Ava West
A professor can make or break a class, a semester, or even an entire school year. It’s not an easy job to have. But, a good professor can make a class that may have been boring or difficult fun and easy to understand.
Not every professor is the same, though, or has the same methods. Nor will they be able to cater to everybody. Yet, they still try their best to make a class successful. So what makes a good professor? And, beyond that, what makes a good professor, a favorite professor?
Sumayah Hanson, 18, from Kentwood says “trying out different teaching styles,” is what makes a professor good. She says her favorite professor is her Spanish professor, Professor Benjamin Mielenz.
She explained that, “he’s just very interactive and tries to make sure you’re understanding the material.” And that what makes his class even better is that he “opens (the class) up so you feel comfortable talking to other students”.
But, it’s not just professors that can make or break a class, it’s up to the students as well.
Mielenz -sometimes called Professor Ben or Professor M, depending on his students- has been teaching 11 years, going on 12, and this is his first year at Grand Rapids Community College.
He says that what makes a good class is “when there’s a strong sense of community.” He continues on that when there is a sense of community, “I think students feel more comfortable taking risks to further their own learning while supporting each other and doing the same. It also leads to more fun and creativity in the classroom.”
In order to do his best to teach all his students, he tries “to create an environment where students feel comfortable advocating for their own learning needs.”
Mielenz concludes saying that he “encourages students to take risks and make mistakes in Spanish, since I believe that is the best and most authentic way to learn.”
Everyone has different tactics when it comes to teaching, and different things draw in different students.
Maria Choi, 20, of Seoul, South Korea, and GRCC’s Student Government President says that her favorite professor is her English teacher, Professor Rachel Lutwick-Deaner, often referred to as Professor L-D.
Choi recalled a story of being confused about her first assignment in English 101, and going to Lutwick-Deaner’s office hours.
“She literally told me what to do, and helped me so much,” Choi said. “She literally changed my life. Before I took her class, I hated writing, but then after her class, I genuinely enjoy writing.”
She also says that Lutwick-Deaner taught her that “it’s okay to get lost and it’s important that you ask for help instead of just ignoring it.”
Classes can also teach professors things. Lutwick-Deaner, from Hewlett, New York, has been teaching for 27 years and this is her 11th year teaching full-time at GRCC.
Lutwick-Deaner says that the most valuable thing she’s learned while teaching is “to be able to be flexible, and to be able to pivot, based on either what my students tell me they need or I learn what they need.”
She says that what makes a good class depends on which she is teaching. Although, in general, she says that “a good class is if I’ve planned activities and goals that are in line with what are good teaching practices.”
She does her best to cater to all learning styles, “when there’s opportunities for (the students) to listen rather than read, I try to make that happen. And I know they listen to me talk but I also try to have other voices in class.” She explained that even a short youtube video to break up the class is helpful.
Lutwick-Deaner finishes, saying, “I really get a lot of energy from teaching, I really enjoy my students, I think the adult learner is definitely my favorite group to teach, and I have tried my best to continue to be a student over time.”
Other departments across campus have a lot of great professors. For example, the science department.
Twenty-year-old GRCC student, Jennifer Gamino-Alvarez, from Grand Rapids, and GRCC’s Student Government Vice President notes that her favorite professor is Chemistry teacher, Daniel Groh.
Gamino-Alvarez says that coming into her chemistry class she was “nervous, because my chemistry foundation was not good at all. Because in high school the year I took chemistry was (disrupted by) COVID-19.So I didn’t really learn anything at all.”
“So, I just appreciated how knowledgeable he was. During class when we would talk about something, he would always make a reference to something in real life,” she said. She also mentioned laughing, as his t-shirts would have puns and other science-related things that she would look forward to seeing.
Groh, a Grand Rapids local, has been teaching 17 years overall, and 11 years at GRCC. He has learned many things in his teaching career.
Groh says it’s very important to “recognize students have other things, it’s not just my class. And, it’s not just my class and this other person’s class. They have a job, they have a life, they might have a spouse, they might have a grandmother they’re taking care of, they might have a brother… So many other things, and it’s constantly changing what those other things might be, and you as students have to juggle all of that.”
Keeping those things in mind, he says that what makes a good class is “variety. I like to talk about science, but not everyone always wants to listen to science. So you know, try to find variety.”
Groh closes by saying that, “I love being here, I love the students we interact with, the variety of students that come to class, and the different things they bring.”
The science department holds many good professors. Mia Ramos, 19, of Grand Rapids, notes that her favorite professor is her human anatomy and physiology professor, Professor Steven Rierson.
“He’s my favorite because he really cares about his students and he makes sure that everyone understands everything,” she said.
Ramos explains that Rierson gets really into his lessons which makes her feel more involved, “It’s just nice to have a teacher who’s passionate, because then it makes you want to be passionate and care.”
Professor Rierson has been teaching for 29 years, and has been teaching in the GRCC Biological Sciences Department for 14 years.
Rierson stated in an email to The Collegiate that, “Learners leaving with a deep understanding of the content knowledge is my primary objective, however my hope is to ignite a lasting curiosity and joy of learning in my students.”
He describes the experiences of teaching students who are having challenges, stating “that learning is a continuous, often an incredible, nonlinear journey, punctuated by moments of both triumph and perplexity.”
He continued stating “that the true value of teaching lies not in achieving a perfect outcome, but in guiding students through the messy, beautiful process of discovery and learning. I feel this has made me a more patient, empathetic, and ultimately more effective educator.”
Overall, it seems that students and professors alike appreciate those who are excited about their subject. And that empathy and flexibility is a must when it comes to a good classroom.
