The Role of Teachers in Developing Academic Interests

The Role of Teachers in Developing Academic Interests

The critical role played by engaging and enthusiastic teachers recurred again and again in the interviews with college students as they looked back on their high school years and reflected on their time in college. When asked about what drew them to their favorite subject, one college student emphasized the role of engaging teaching: “Definitely the professor and how well I’m able to connect with the professor. Because I do enjoy learning, but if it feels more so like you’re being talked at rather than just we’re in a process of learning together, then it’s hard to really connect with the coursework.”19 Another college student shared that they found their economics class difficult but still found enjoyment in the subject because good professors “helped [me] enjoy it more than I would have with another professor that’s less excited.”20

Particularly engaged college professors were also able to help students develop a new appreciation for subjects they reported disliking in high school. One student made this clear in describing a literature class of the Vietnam War that they were enrolled in: “I didn’t really like history as much in high school, but the professor made it super interesting. . . . I think that’s maybe changed my mind, and I really appreciate history a little bit more.”21 Most of the college students pointed to a particularly inspiring class that helped turn them on to a particular subject. Conversely, students also pointed out instances in which a poor experience with a teacher turned them off a subject. When asked about which classes they most enjoyed, a college student shared, “I like all of my classes, except if, like, the professor sucks. I think I’ve only had, like, 3 classes that I didn’t like, and 2 of them was not because [of] the subject [but] because [of] the professor.”22