Ever have a teacher who was really crap in one class, then brilliant in another?

[Rabrrrrrr]

I had two in college.

My "Art and Literature in History" (or something like that - required Sophomore class) professor was absolutely awful. Miserable, shitty little class. His tests were fucking insane, his lectures were generally not interesting, and he had no real energy. And I am one who LOVES art and literature. But he was awful at it.

Had him a year later for an elective Shakespeare class and he was fucking brilliant. Absolutely wonderful. I think it was a difference between having to teach a required art class to a bunch of engineers who didn't give a shit, and teaching an elective class about a subject he loved to a few of us who actually did care and were there by choice.

Then my Materials Science (required course) teacher was awful - boring, monotone, bad pauses, incomprehensible much of the time. Had the same guy a year later for organic chemistry (also required course, which I had failed once already) and he was animated, understandable, and made it far, far more clear than the first shitbag I had. He was also nicer in that class than in the other one. I don't know what the difference was for him between those two classes - except that I think that was the first in a while that he had taught Organic Chemistry (I think one of the two OC profs was on sabbatical that semester) and he had taught MatSci for about 25 years.

It certainly taught me the importance of giving someone the benefit of the doubt, and to put things in context and not make snap judgments.

I was absolutely dreading Shakespeare because of the professor, but I was a huge Shakespeare buff then, and so took it anyway. I'm glad I did!

[EFerrari]

1. Yes! I had a prof who totally ignored me as an undergrad

was dismissive and impatient, and who became my mentor as a grad student.

I like to think *he* saw the light, but it could have been me. lol

[Deep13]

2. Happened often in college.

Usually, the prof was kind of zoned out during the obligatory basic level classes they were required to teach, but were quite interesting in the advanced classes.

[Oeditpus Rex]

3. Mr. Terry

Had him for history in seventh grade, and it was the usual textbook stuff — names and dates. Between my freshman and sophomore years, I had to make up a class in summer school — world history, maybe. He was the teacher, and he was fantastic. The class had long, philosophical discussions on world events; I remember one posed the basic question, "Why be good?"

Pity, though — he taught only half the summer session, owing to a previous commitment. For the second half, we were shuttled to another class taught by an ex-Marine baseball coach who apparently taught academics only because it was required by the district — he couldn't just be a coach. This bozo was a truly horrible teacher, and I ended up walking out of his class in protest after he banished another student because she dared debate him. (As she left the room, he said, "Typical North Salinas High mentality." I stood up and said, "Alisal High too, turkey," and walked out.)