Professor looks for student's perspective

Editor's note: This is one in a series profiling local educators each week.

Teaching is much less difficult when approached through the eyes of a student, according to Eastern New Mexico University Professor of Agriculture Business Terry Ervin.

“In my opinion, I am your typical, average student, and I found that I am able to teach the stuff from the student's perspective, as long as the student is willing to jump into it and study the material,” he said. “I can try to put things into their perspective that they tend to grasp. I've even had graduate students tell me that I make things a lot easier than the book because of examples I use and things like that.”

Originally from southern California, Ervin began teaching at ENMU in 2003.

Why did you decide to start teaching?

My Ph.D. is at Oklahoma State (University). My education is very varied, I guess. I've got two bachelors, one in systems ecology, the second in biology. I've got a masters in environmental administration, and the doctorate is in agricultural economics. Given the variety of backgrounds that I have in my education, I saw that the best place to use it was at the academic or university level. I ended up teaching at Texas Tech since 1985, and a lot of research. I didn't really get to spend the time with the students that I wanted to, because I spent too much time, in my opinion, with research and grades, which ended up bringing me here. I've enjoyed being here. It's a very comfortable teaching environment.

What has been the most important lesson you've learned from teaching?

Compassion for the student perspective. I flunked out of college when I first went to college. In 1972, I went to college and had a lot of fun, and after that I spent four years in the military. After the military, I went full force to college, never taking a summer off, even. I just went straight through my bachelors, masters and Ph.D.

What do you hope your students leave your classroom knowing?

I want them to have a sense of pride in their education. Never do I ever want the students to walk out and think that I'm teaching them nothing and the material in the class is not worthy.

What keeps you teaching?

It's an easy job for me. Although I continue to learn, what I continue to learn are different ways of presenting the material hopefully that the students can pick up on.

— Compiled by Staff Writer Eamon Scarbrough