In the sea of academics, supervisors often have a small dream - that is, to have a "perfect graduate student". But what is "perfect"? Could it be the legendary hexagonal warrior, the kind that can publish top magazines and win awards as soon as he specifies the direction?
Hahaha, don't be funny, such a "perfect" graduate student probably only exists in the daydreams of the tutors. After all, who doesn't have a flaw in reality? I have also taken a lot of graduate students with me, and I also have my own set of views on the definition of "perfect".
Once, I was chatting with a few teachers in the office, and they all complained about the "uneasy" graduate students they brought with them. Some complained that the students were not diligent enough, some felt that the students' academic ability was lacking, and some complained that the students' teamwork skills were too poor.
Hearing this, I couldn't help but interject: "Actually, I think the definition of perfect should not be too simple." If the ability of graduate students is divided into several dimensions, such as academic ability, creative ability, and diligence, then as long as the student performs well in most dimensions, at least surpassing me in at least one dimension, I feel very satisfied. ”
As soon as these words came out, everyone was stunned, and then nodded in agreement. Indeed, every student has their own strengths and weaknesses, and we cannot expect them to be the best at all. As long as they can shine in their area of expertise, they are already remarkable.
For example, one of the PhD students I am working with me is not the kind of student who is very academically strong, but I am impressed by his diligence and teamwork skills. He was able to put forward some insightful ideas in every group discussion, and although he was sometimes questioned by other students, he was never discouraged and was always able to stick to his point of view and find evidence to support it.
This kind of student, while he may not be the most outstanding in terms of academic ability, is enough for me to praise him in other areas. After all, teamwork and perseverance are just as important on the academic path.
Of course, I'm not saying here that academic ability isn't important. On the contrary, academic ability is a core competency that every graduate student should strive to improve. However, we cannot ignore the other strengths and potentials of our students by pursuing academic results too much.
Therefore, every time I see students who have published a lot of ** and won various awards, I will think of the scene when I graduated from my PhD. At that time, I had only published two or three journals**, and there were still many twists and turns. However, I have never regretted my choice because I believe that everyone has their own rhythm and path.
Looking back now, although my academic achievements were not outstanding, I was well trained and improved in terms of teamwork and communication skills. These abilities have played a huge role in my later career, allowing me to navigate and handle a variety of situations.
So, whenever a student asks me, "Supervisor, what do you think is perfect for graduate school?" I would laugh and say, "Actually, there is no such thing as a perfect graduate student." As long as you can shine in your field and find your own value, you will be the most perfect student in my heart. ”
In closing, I would like to say that as tutors, we should not be too demanding of our students' perfection. On the contrary, we should pay more attention to their growth and progress, and give them enough support and encouragement. After all, every student is a unique individual, with their own strengths and potentials waiting to be discovered and nurtured.
In this era when the digital wave is sweeping the world and education innovation is in full swing, let's work together to explore how to open up new space for students to develop.