Yesterday I got my first taste of what it might feel like to be a professor. I was asked by Bernard Castillo, a Chemistry and Physical Sciences professor at the St Croix campus of the University of the Virgin Islands to give a lecture. So from at 2PM I stood in front of a few dozen UVI students and talked about what Landscape Architecture is, the work my class did at Salt River Bay last year, and how that relates to their lives. Although my younger siblings would say I'm an expert when it comes to giving lectures- I was so nervous! I've never given a professional lecture all by myself- but it turned out to be easy when I remembered that I was talking about something I am both familiar with and passionate about. By the end I was excited to find that not only had the students stayed awake the whole time- they were interested in what I had to say and asked so many really good questions! The best part of it all when two freshmen girls approached me and asked how they could volunteer with the Park Service and get involved with the project!
Today made me laugh at the phrase "those who can- do, those who can't- teach" because I felt completely inspired and fulfilled through my interactions with those students. I know that in my own life the professors that have deeply inspired me are also really great do-ers. I believe that it is part of the landscape architect's job description to teach- perhaps not within the setting of a classroom or a university, but every time they interact with a client, or shape the land they have the opportunity to teach ecological responsibility, instill a love for nature and improve the way people relate to one another within the landscape. If that isn't doing- I don't know what is!
No comments:
Post a Comment