<p>“A great researcher does not necessarily a good teacher make; would that were true! My own high school math teacher taught math far better than any of the professors I had at Duke.”</p>
<p>Amen! </p>
<p>My ninth-grade Latin teacher, Sister Margaret Eulalia (a/k/a Mammy Yokum in a Habit), taught Latin better than any professor I’ve ever studied with, anywhere, including Harvard Div School – and I can guarantee she didn’t go to Harvard. We drilled our little heads off and got through the grammar, including the subjunctive, well within our first year. Whatever Latin I still remember is all thanks to Sister Margaret Eulalia. (May she and her ruler rest in peace.)</p>
<p>“If you want teaching quality, or faculty who teach with a side of research rather than research with a side of teaching, pick a LAC.”</p>
<p>Exactly. As you say, it’s no guarantee that they’ll be better teachers…but, at an LAC, they’ll certainly be more focused on teaching, and they’ll likely give you more individual attention.</p>
<p>BTW, one of my favorite professors at Harvard Divinity School was a visiting professor from Duke, Professor Steinmetz. I think he may be retired by now.</p>