Do instructors show off their knowledge instead of helping students learn?

Question

I have had several college classes, mostly math classes, where the instructor rushes through math proofs and examples without given students time to write things down or mentally digest the material.
It seems like the instructors are showing off their mastery of the subject instead of explaining it to the students. They are doing 2 things: writing and talking about something they already know.
The students have to do 3 things: listen, write and try to understand the material.
Anybody else have the same experience?

Answer 1

Oh yes.... And, there's more to it. At the more elite universities, some instructors pride themselves on a super high failure rate of students, thusly (in their minds)making the university more competitive. In some professors' opinions, it's not their job to facilitate your learning, it's just their job to share their knowledge. There's a big difference there.

Answer 2

They might be showing off. However, speaking as an experienced professor, there is a syllabus of what must be covered. You are racing against time to cover it and there isn't really time to allow the students to understand. Visit the prof during office hours (they are required to have them) to ask questions. Some instructors do try to show off but more likely they are trying to get through the material. They are usually inexperienced graduate students, not master teachers. They may think that teaching is about showing what they know. To solve this, get a tutor or go to office hours or create a student study group to give you more time to digest and learn. blaming the teacher for problems is not the way to increase your learning and success

Answer 3

As someone who teaches at a university, I just want to say that Sufi's answer is dead on.
I can't believe how little class time I get with my students each week to actually get through the staggering amount of course material I'm supposed to teach. In a 3-credit hour course, we actually meet for a little under three hours each week. That's just not enough, especially when you consider how many students stroll in late, check their text messages during class, talk to the person sitting next to them during class, or try to get the class off on a tangent during discussion.
I try so hard to make my class engaging and interesting, and I understand that it feels like there's a lot to do, so please know that it feels that way to your instructor as well.
I think the people you may want to talk to about this are your college administrators. They are the ones adding more and more people to the administration while class sizes continue to grow larger.

Answer 4

Yep. They do that. Apparently the fashion in the courses and seminars that mathematics grad students attend is to write and explain everything really fast. Some mathematicians have large egos, and don't take kindly to having to teach undergraduates. Others simply forget that the students can't work as fast as they can.

Therefore it's important for students to yell 'whoa' when the fellow goes off into space. It's also important for students to keep up with their work, of course.

My master's advisor (electrical engineering) once told me about the speed-writing at math seminars. Even he wasn't that fast; apparently these guys make a sport out of it.

Answer 5

I think that it depends on the professional experience and aspirations of the instructor. Sometimes teachers get overwhelmed by enthusiasm for thier subject. Unfortunately, sometimes they'd rather be doing research than teaching undergraduates.

Answer 6

Sounds like you just don't get it. Have you asked the instructor to slow down or for an explanation. Or have you made up your mind he is doing it for his own grandification!

Answer 7

Some teachers don't do their job very well.