Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/57469
From the Editors There's No Crying in Classrooms I'd guess all instructors remember the first time they stepped into a classroom, not as students but as teachers. I was a young grad student in English literature walking into my first section of freshman English composition. To prepare me for this day, the department had pro- vided me with a book list, a sample syllabus, and a perfunctory afternoon seminar on teaching the course. Needless to say, I was terrified. As I took my place at the front of the class to face 12 expectant 18-year-olds, one young man even asked aloud, "You're the teacher?" (As any professor knows, that's never a good sign.) I took roll, passed out my syllabus, and—I'm not kidding— promptly dissolved into tears. I ran from the room as my students stared after me in shock. Somehow, I managed to go back for the next class. By the end of that semester, I had developed a rapport with my students; by my fifth year, I'd learned that I actually could teach. Even so, I know I could have done so much better with more preparation and support from the university. I can only imagine the challenges facing today's business profes- sors, who must focus on more than teaching and scholarship. They also must promote their research, learn new technologies, work with corporate partners, and travel internationally. As if these pres- sures weren't enough, business faculty in the Information Age must contend with feedback sites like RateMyProfessors.com, where an instructor's every quirk and mannerism is fodder for online student reviews. Writ large in everlasting cyber-ink, professors can be deemed "brilliant" or "bor- ing," "approachable" or "arrogant." I shudder to think what my online reviews would have been like after my first day of teaching: "Nice, but prone to hysterics. Beware." At a time when faculty face so much increased visibility and so many new responsi- bilities, it's no wonder that they can use all the help their business schools can provide. In this issue's article "Top Performers," educators discuss what the most innovative faculty support programs include, from seminars to help professors hone their commu- nication skills, to offices providing technological support, to programs that emphasize health and wellness. These educators believe that such efforts allow professors to ful- fill their potential as teachers, researchers, and school ambassadors—and put business schools ahead of the curve. After all, when professors are well-supported and well-equipped, they're more likely to be engaged, productive, and passionate about what they do—not to mention less likely to have nervous breakdowns in their classrooms. I know that's something sure to be appreciated by faculty, students, and administrators alike. ■ z 6 BizEd NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 BILL BASCOM