This past semester, I had the opportunity to teach a graduate level AI course at North Carolina State (thanks Pankaj Telang and Munindar Singh).

Both my sister and aunt were professional teachers, so I had some familiarity with that side of teaching. Many years ago, when I was young, my sister encouraged me to teach. So, when this opportunity popped up, I jumped on it.

I wanted and needed to learn every one of my 42 students’ names. Some students names and faces came quickly. But a few others took longer. Looking back, it’s funny how our (sometimes quirky) history and interactions finally helped me confidently remember each and every one of them (yes, I’m talking about you Devanshu).

Even with a great set of materials to start with, I was still surprised how much preparation and effort it takes to teach each and every class session. Even though I spent hours preparing for every class, thinking I had everything nailed, my students would often ask questions I hadn’t considered. I often felt “I have to prepare more”. Now I know what it’s like to host an Ask Me Anything session.

Grading papers took far more time than I ever expected. Grading to the rubric and also giving credit where credit was due, was a new challenge. I got through it, just as all of my teaching have done.

While teaching took a lot more time than I expected, this was a wonderful experience for me personally. I REALLY enjoyed it!

The main point I want to emphasize is: teaching takes a LOT more effort and planning than I ever realized. So, I encourage each one of you to reach out and thank one (or more) of the influential teachers that affected your life’s journey. They deserve it!