I Sympathize
I sympathize, really, I do.
It must be tough to be part of a group that represents such a small subsection of the population. I imagine that the fear must be overwhelming at times. And I understand your natural wish to avoid the inherent stigma of being “one of those”, but denial is more than a river in Egypt my friend, and it’s well time you accepted the facts. You won’t be truly happy until you take that first step…
Now, repeat after me, “I am your professor and you may refer to me as Doctor (place your name here)”.
Whew! Now, don’t you feel better? I know I do.
I came to college because I wanted to focus on my study of English. I submitted my application, paid my tuition, did a “favor” for my uncle “Fat Tony” to raise the money for books, even went back into the Hades of the State College Area High School Administration Building to find a copy of my diploma; not an easy task as they were written on papyrus back then and only lasted about 15 years.
I bought a backpack, stocked up on pencils, ordered a pair of Keens and arrived on campus fully prepared to listen with rapt attention to lectures presented by those holding the true knowledge. I would assiduously take notes, do all my homework, read all of the required texts and participate in a thoughtful dialog with like-minded students. I would revel in the Socratic Circle.
Sure, I admit that I was being a bit romantic in my expectations, but dreamer that I am, I imagined I would be protégé to esteemed Doctors, woman, and men who had dedicated themselves to mastery of their respective fields as evidenced in the completion of a grueling and heroic undertaking; that of spending an additional 8 to 12 years in college, as a research assistant or other lower life form to earn the Philosophiæ Doctor.
Man, was I bummed at discovering that my instructors had thrown off the tam and adopted the ball cap. Instead of receiving instruction from Doctors of Philosophy, I was to be engaged by teachers wishing to be addressed as Vinnie or Carol or “just plain” Bob.
It takes an average of 8.2 years after having earned a bachelor’s degree to complete a Ph.D. Less than 1 percent of the entire world population obtains the honor. The average cost of Ph.D. is well over $50,000. One might think that such an accomplishment would entitle a person to a little respect; even though they might not want it.
Respect is something I was taught in the Navy. It was embodied in the salute and in the uniform. We were taught to give respect, if not to the person wearing the uniform, then to the uniform that a person is wearing. Uniforms designated clear channels of command and communication, thus ensuring that the people at home, and the sea-lanes of the world, were protected and kept free. It was (and is now) a simple system and it worked.
The titles conferred by the US government are not optional. No one officer can opt out of the system and request that they be addressed as Slippery Pete (for instance). If you’re an Ensign, you are addressed as such. You are required to honor the designation, accept the salute of the enlisted men, return that salute and behave as both an officer and a gentleman.
No one takes offense, no one feels lessened by the obligatory, and no one really complains. In practice, the honorific and the salute serve to contribute to effective communication and serve as a reminder to the enlisted men and the officers of their divergent but equally important responsibilities.
Now I know that a University is not an Aircraft Carrier. An Aircraft Carrier has only 5000 men and woman, and you only get near a beer every 45 days or so. But, in so far as there is a time-honored and proven system in effect, the hierarchy is similar.
As a student, I may not particularly feel admiration for a certain instructor; he or she might be a Marxist, or County Music fan or perhaps even worse, a Republican. Still, I should respect the fact that they are people of exceptional intelligence and extraordinary perseverance. The great majority of our instructors have sacrificed a much more lucrative career in the private sector in order to accept the responsibility of guiding a cohort of confused but eager undergraduates through four or five years of their undergraduate studies. This is an awesome task and quite clearly, one deserving of our respect.
I would also made note that such respect is not to be confused with abject obedience. One can very well disagree with another for whom respect is offered (although, it is not often wise to do so publically, like in the paper or in front of the class). Nor should such respect be seen as something offered only by the novice toward the more accomplished. When professors use the honorific in addressing other professors, respect is shown for the person and for the accomplishment.
Now, as one holding the Ph.D., you may feel that the title is of little importance and that it impedes creativity and honest discourse within the class. How do I respectfully say – hogwash!
Practical pedagogic (or more correctly andragogic; as we are dealing with adults – mostly) theory is meant to establish more effective methods of leading a student through the educational process. By accepting the above as basic to the theory, one can posit the notion that in order to be effectively led, there must by necessity be someone leading. So, current theory supports the idea that by using the honorific, leadership roles are clarified and a more navigatable paradigm mapped for the student. Both the student and the instructor enjoy a broader scope of experience by establishing baseline positions for the participants within the exchange. With exchange modeling, a value surplus is realized within the information transfer currency and in accordance with Game Theory, a win-win situation is manifest. (or, something like that, anyway)
On a more basic level, I believe that a student is more comfortable and thus more open to instruction when he or she knows who is leading. We may not always appreciate the lessons we receive, but we truly are adults and we can understand the necessity of order. This type of order can be accomplished behind the podium in front of the class, or on one’s buttocks as a member of a circle. It is both subtle and profound; exactly like a quality college education.
Glen A Plumley Portfolio 