Throughout our years at NIU, we will encounter many different teaching styles from different educators.

We have our favorites, the ones we recommend to our friends, and ones we recommend to avoid.

For the department of communication, it’s no different. I had teachers that I have thought the absolute world of and teachers that I hope I never have to be in the same room with ever again. I’m not going to mention any names or bash anyone publicly, because truthfully, I don’t need to. These professors will do that to themselves via the student body’s word of mouth.

The staff of instructors and professors at this institution all have unique ideas about how to properly teach their students. Some of them have excellent ideas that they execute with excellence. Others I have experienced seem like they could not care less. This is the major and most crucial difference between good teachers and bad teachers: how much they care.

Dr. Richard Holt, professor of communications Director of undergraduate studies, is a great example of an educator whom I have TA-ed for and learned from. Rich is the type of teacher that cares, and most students respond positively to this.

Rich told me good students make a good teacher, “I’m always learning how to teach better and good students who get involved and want to learn inspire me,” Holt said.

There is an idea that students only like professors that they can get good grades from with little effort. This is false, and is demonstrated by Rich in his classroom.

Having been his student on multiple occasions, I know for a fact he expects a great deal from his students. From basic 80 to 95 question exams, the classes also include innovative and creative exercises where the lack of concreit structure encourages students to think creatively and approach the assignment in new and different ways. Rich’s classes are not easy.

The quality of a teacher can make a difference of day and night in students lives. We have all experienced it.