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1/ Unpopular academic opinion:
You don't fix your own imposter syndrome.
It's not a matter of thinking the right thoughts to yourself, and all these panel discussions on "dealing with imposter syndrome" are, at best, a waste of students' time.
You don't fix your own imposter syndrome.
It's not a matter of thinking the right thoughts to yourself, and all these panel discussions on "dealing with imposter syndrome" are, at best, a waste of students' time.
2/ Imposter syndrome is about feeling like you don't belong, but you can't think yourself into belonging.
That takes two things:
(i) Friendship and acceptance in a professional community, and
(ii) Real, one-on-one mentorship
That takes two things:
(i) Friendship and acceptance in a professional community, and
(ii) Real, one-on-one mentorship
3/ Real mentoring involves a person who has "made it" getting to know a person who is still trying to "make it", at a deep level.
This knowledge enable the mentor to say, in a meaningful way: "I see your strengths, and they bring something valuable to the table. ...
This knowledge enable the mentor to say, in a meaningful way: "I see your strengths, and they bring something valuable to the table. ...
4/
... I also see your weaknesses, and they are acceptable."
Without getting that message from peers or from a senior mentor, how can a person possibly "get over" their imposter syndrome?
... I also see your weaknesses, and they are acceptable."
Without getting that message from peers or from a senior mentor, how can a person possibly "get over" their imposter syndrome?
5/5
So much bullshit is produced when faculty members say, essentially, "our students are feeling bad about themselves, and we must do something. But we're not going to invest the time/energy to give them one-on-one mentorship."
So much bullshit is produced when faculty members say, essentially, "our students are feeling bad about themselves, and we must do something. But we're not going to invest the time/energy to give them one-on-one mentorship."
(I will admit that this thread is partially a subtweet of myself)
