With the semester coming to an end, this one is for all my fellow English professors.
I have yet to meet someone who teaches English that I am not a fan of. Thinking back to my teachers in elementary school, high school, and now college, I think it is safe to assume that they are the best of people.
Although English is among the core topics of math, science and history, it seems to be the one with the most freedom. Yes, there is grammar, and yes, there are other "rules" of English, but the beauty of English is that anything can be real as long as you prove it to be. English majors are essentially lawyers (maybe that's a stretch). English is about point of view and personal idea s-- your writing is what you make of it. I was blessed to have had teachers that stressed that idea more than anything.
Over the few English courses I have had at CCNY, I have stumbled upon several passionate instructors. They love what they do, and that energy is projected onto their students. The goal is to leave us at the end of the semester with something we value for the rest of our lives. Two professors, of many, have left me with lessons I will never forget.
One of my recent professors would always tell us students that we needed to "stop eating shit". Sounds a bit vulgar, I know. He was right in saying that though. We live in a world where we do not necessarily take the time to stop and reflect about the things we consume -- whether that be your McDonald's or this very article. We feed into the media and everything else surrounding it. Try coming up with your own organic ideas sometimes. It is time to start thinking about the things we not only consume, but produce. The two evidently coincide.
Another taught me that regardless of who we are, our voices deserve to be heard. No matter how big or small, we can make a difference. It all starts with an idea. If you continue to work towards something, only greatness can be achieved. It can all be as simple as starting on a platform like The Odyssey. Even when you think no one cares, there is bound to be someone out there listening.
Perhaps I have just been lucky with my assigned professors, but they have all taught me something outside of their syllabi. Between creativity, throwing myself into social issues and stepping into a new point of view, I have learned many things about the world and myself as a writer.
So to every English professor I've had, teachers and adjuncts included:
Thank you for choosing to share your expertise. Thank you for teaching me not only the history of philosophy but making it known that I too, can follow my own. Thank you for pushing me out of my comfort zone and into the public eye. Thank you for making me share that one piece of writing I shook all class for. Thank you for giving me a class to look forward to. Thank you for guiding for me. Thank you for believing in me.
