Prof I take my hat off to you - you have the patience of Yoda! I would have lost my cool with some of the forum members many times over by now.
I dont think the prof, or anyone for that matter will get impatient even with stupid questions. People might however get impatient when giving advise, which obviously takes time, and then when that advise is not followed they get asked how to solve the repurcussions, costing tho one who gives advise yet more time and energy. Maybe thats what Henk is referring to.
Could be wrong but maybe its from the same questions over and over (not using the search button). Simple answers that can be found on the net. Not understanding the answers to the question, results into more questions, or just completely ignoring the advice and going on doing their own thing. It is a lot of effort typing out long messages to members you need te help, prof IMO doesnt mind that but asking for advice and doing the opposite is a sign of disrespect. Again thats IMO
SPOT ON GUYS. Don't ask for advise, and then do the exact opposite of what is advised. Then why bother asking?
Hi Guys, Thanks for your compliments. I have been teaching at the University of Stellenbosch since 1982 and during that time I have trained, literally, thousands of students at undergraduate levels teaching all levels of Biochemistry, introductory Biology and Bioinformatics. At post graduate level, I would say I have trained hundreds of students at B Sc Honours level. At advanced post graduate level, I have trained 36 M Sc students, 9 doctoral students, and 6 post-doctoral students. Currently, I have 6 M Sc students, 3 doctoral students and two post doctoral students who work under my guidance in my laboratory (and I might add that I have to raise the finance to fund their research and their bursaries myself as well). What all of this teaches me is patience. If you are teaching people, which is what I really do on this forum, it does not help to loose your cool, you are not getting people to understand which is actually what I try to achieve. If I can get a few folks on the forum to get to a higher level, so much the better for the forum and the fishkeeping community but very importantly also for the fish and plants. I believe that if we are to survive on this planet we need to understand nature and how fragile it is. Keeping a few tropical fish in an aquarium actually illustrates exactly that. If you kill them by your actions, it actually shows you how easily you can kill of animals and plants in nature. So, there are many more angles to keeping fish and the message I try to bring alcross, but I will only get there through patience. What I also get a particular kick out of is if I go somewhere to rural areas in South Africa when I have to lectures on my research on potatoes or ostrich diseases or something and someone comes to speak to me and says: "Hallo Professor, I do not know if you can remember me, but you were my lecturer 25 years ago, and you were my best lecturer at university". We also have an evaluation system at university now where students can make comments on lecturers and there students also often make such comments about my teaching ability. So, maybe if at I look at the feedback that I get on this forum as well, I get the feeling that people appreciate my comments and my contribution. However, patience is the only way to get there..... Kind regards, Dirk
Well said Dirk "ek kan met jou vereenselwig" my wife is also a lecturer at Pukke and i know about these evaluation forms to get feedback sometimes its nice other times not. I think people ae born great teachers they don't become teachers. Keep up the good work
Nice mesage prof, I only finished my studies last year at Puk, it took me 6 years and in that time i tried and tested every lecturers patience, some have it and some dont, so if you have im very gratefull because students also need lecturers with patience to help them finish eventualy
On this subject, I owe a lot of feedback for advice given...life has been pretty hectic, but my fishies (discus) are doing just fine! I will make a point to post comprehensive feedback on the weekend. Thanks Prof!
