After a nearly 11 year absence, I jumped back into the classroom in the spring 2026 semester. I taught the honors section of Intro to Philosophy at the University of Iowa, spending hours reworking my syllabus and retooling the course for what, at least in my mind, students might find more useful in 2026 than they did in 2015.

A few readers probably noticed this, given that I had to take a bit more time off from writing than usual. And on that note, I’ll thank regular readers for their patience. I know that post frequency moved a little closer to 3-4 posts per month rather than the usual 5 or 6.

Here are a few thoughts on how it went.

Nerves

Before I walked into class in January 2026, on the first day of the semester, I felt nervous. It almost felt like the first time I walked into a classroom as an instructor, in the fall of 2008. While I figured I’d have to shake off some rust, the level of nerves surprised me.

I even dropped into the office of a much older colleague before starting my class, seeking a bit of guidance on how to push through it. He offered some helpful words.

With that said, everyone’s got some nerves on day 1. The students did, too, which I found some comfort in reminding myself.

And once we all made it through the first week or two, things came together nicely. The students, in particular, showed a lot of heart and skill.

Students and Group Presentations

I put out a request of professor friends on social media before the beginning of the semester, asking them what had changed among students in the last decade.

They had thoughts – lots of thoughts. These came in all over the place – from positive to negative, and from a sense of continuity to a sense that AI had transformed the college classroom in the 2020s.

As for my class? They did great. Admittedly, I’m sure some of that was a selection effect. The department handed me the honors section of the course. And, to be honest, the sort of student who signs up for Intro to Philosophy, even outside of the honors section, is probably brighter and more curious than the average student. But even considering those things, my students were exceptionally well prepared, diligent, and ready to learn.

I put into my Intro syllabus something I had always wanted to do – a group presentation with an open Q&A session. I wanted to offer students something that gets at the skills they need in the AI era – the ability to take complex ideas and communicate those ideas live, in-person, and in a way that responds to the questions and concerns of their classmates.

While I fretted about the project for much of the semester, the students very much rose to the challenge.

Again?

Near the end of the semester, I attended the philosophy department’s annual grad student appreciation event. While there, I talked with some people about the topic of whether I’d do it again. Because, ultimately, I suspect the opportunity might be available someday.

And I don’t know. I’m not against it. I think it’d be fun to hop back into the classroom again someday, especially if there’s another honors section that needs a professor. But I’m also not pushing it.

I loved teaching in spring 2026, but if it were the last course I ever teach in a college classroom, I’d be satisfied with it as a goodbye semester. Perhaps the key lesson for me is that it highlighted both what I love about teaching and why I left it behind as a full-time career.

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