“Why Teaching Matters, or Why I Never Turn My Back on a Class”

Students do not have to make you happy; that’s not their job. You don’t need to make them happy; that’s not your job. Their job is to understand what you’re teaching them and your job is to know precisely why they need to know what you’re teaching them. You’re the authority not because you’re in control of the situation, but because you can provide what they’ll need to carry with them for the rest of their lives. Educating students is about more than just giving them information. It’s about providing context, perspective and illumination. - Dr. Regina Barreca