Understanding the Impact of Different Types of Professors

Professors play a pivotal role in shaping the lives and careers of students. While some leave a lasting positive influence, others can make the learning experience miserable. This article explores different professor archetypes based on experiences at IIM Ahmedabad and examines their teaching styles and impact on students.

The Inspiring Teacher

Some professors are like “Jeetu Bhai” from the Kota Factory, who make a lifetime impact through their effective and engaging teaching methods. One such inspiring teacher at IIMA would incorporate elements from popular TV shows like “Kaun Banega Crorepati” to make learning fun and ensure students retained concepts through cold calling. He went to great lengths devising a software that randomly selects names while posing questions in an interactive quiz format. This unique approach made dry subject matters highly entertaining while driving enhanced retention.

Cutting-Edge Teaching Styles

Other innovative faculty members brought real-world scenarios into the class. Some assigned roles of CEOs and customers to demonstrate complex business strategies and negotiations. One prof even played the motivational song “Dhivara” from Baahubali to energize students before an important session. Such creative techniques helped contextualize learnings and piqued student interests beyond traditional lecture modes.

Approachable Mentors

Many IIMA professors demonstrated an accessible and approachable attitude. Their office doors were always open for students to clear doubts or have casual conversations. Some even mentored students beyond academics, providing career counseling and recommendations. A few inviting faculty members treated favored outgoing batches to farewell lunches and dinners, fostering enduring personal bonds.

Extended Support Networks

Some professors actively maintained relationships with alumni through social media platforms, celebrating their achievements and offering continued guidance. One teacher proactively assisted an entrepreneurial alumnus by facilitating access toresources and connections when they pivoted careers. This illustrates how IIMA faculty serve as lifelong mentors committed to nurturing holistic growth.

Demanding but Fair

While approachable, some professors ran strict classes with no room for tardiness or disruptions. Just because they were friendly didn’t necessarily mean they allowed violations of protocols. Students were expected to arrive on time and engage seriously during lectures. However, this firmness coexisted with fairness — rarely were unreasonable demands placed.

Balancing Rigor with Empathy

Though exams and assignments meant high-pressure situations, many faculty demonstrated empathic nature. Some took favoured outgoing batches for farewell meals, sharing lighter moments that humanized their otherwise intense roles. Interacting casually with professor’s children also brought students and teachers onto more equal grounds beyond the classroom setting. This balanced the curriculum’s rigors with softer sides of their personalities.

memorable Mentors

A few professors left particularly indelible impressions that would never let students forget their teaching styles and impactful guidance. Some subjects were so creatively delivered that even 8AM Saturday classes felt like joyful experiences thanks to their witty humour and interactive approach.

Lasting Connections

Long after passing out, many alumni remained in touch with their beloved mentors through social platforms and occasionally meeting in person. Professors still remembered small details about students’ convocation photos years later. Some even assisted passion projects and startups of alumni who they had inspired to think beyond traditional corporate paths. Clearly, special teachers at IIMA nurtured bonds that endured throughout life stages.

Varying Effectiveness

Of course, not all faculty lived up to inspiring standards. A handful were like “Virus” from 3 Idiots who made learning a chore through demotivating styles. However, most aimed to challenge and nurture students holistically through diverse teaching methodologies tailored to their personalities and course demands. Overall, their passion and dedication to shaping future leaders was admirable, even when individual effectiveness varied.

Valuable Life Lessons

As the “Professor” from 3 Idiots demonstrates, some imparted wisdom that IIMs offer more than high-paying job placements. Enduring mentorship equipped students with softer skills and perspectives necessary to thrive amid VUCA business environments. While career growth remained important, developing well-rounded individuals was the higher purpose many faculty served.

Conclusion

To summarize, professors played manifold roles at IIMA beyond traditional knowledge-disseminators. The most memorable ones motivated through innovative styles, mentored through approachable natures and left lasting influences well after graduation. While a few lacked in these dimensions, most aimed to mold future leaders through diverse yet effective teaching practices tailored to individual student needs. Their contributions in shaping holistic development proved invaluable for navigating complex careers amid constantly shifting business scenarios.