What makes Miriam Blaauboer so good? ‘So many credits that she can honestly say if she doesn’t know something’

“Flattering and overwhelming,” laughs Miriam Blaauboer as she hears the list of compliments from the jury’s report for the Teacher of the Year elections for the hundredth time. “I’m not very good at reading all this praise about myself. But I really appreciate it!”

Blaauboer, whose students call her Miriam, has been teaching at the TU Delft Faculty of Applied Sciences for more than 15 years. Now 54 year old, she started there as a researcher in 2002, is now an Associate Professor, and since 2023 has also been Director of Studies of the brand new Quantum Information Science & Technology (QIST) master.

Warmth

We agreed to meet in Blaauboer’s office, along with Willow (26) from the USA and Rohan (27) from India, both QIST students. The pair are part of a group of students across the Faculty that entered Blaauboer for the Educator of the Year at Faculty level. She won the national award after elections at faculty and university level in April.

The meeting was Plan B after Plan A, which was seeing Blaauboer in action during one of her lectures, could not go ahead. She only resumes lectures in the next academic year and until then she keeps to supervising group work. But in her recorded lectures (available on Collegerama) she looks no different from during the meeting: relaxed, enthusiastic and – and certainly for a journalist who knows nothing about physics – surprisingly clear.

‘Apart from a teacher, a mentor, guide, friend and source of inspiration’

The question now is what makes Blaauboer such a good teacher. The first impression of her immediately answers the question in part. The Teacher of the Year moves a lot, speaks English easily, and has a warm voice which you can imagine puts her students at ease. When Willow or Rohan speak, she listens carefully and nods. She laughs uneasily once in a while, such as when Willow says that ‘apart from a teacher, she is a mentor, guide, friend and a source of inspiration’.

Expertise

Willow first wants to emphasise that Blaauboer explains the subject in her lectures ‘super clearly’. The American student says that her lectures are really about learning. “In other lectures I start thinking about what if I fail or ask stupid questions. But I never think that in Miriam’s lectures. They are really only about the lecture itself.”

Blaauboer explains that whether someone passes or fails is not the most important thing for her. “It does not matter to me. Of course I want everyone to finish the subject well, but it’s much more important that my students learn a lot. Hopefully there’s an open culture where people can simply say if they do not understand something.”

‘It is okay to not know something sometimes’

She adds that she does not know everything either. Blaauboer says that it is her strength that she is ‘not that clever’. While Willow and Rohan shake their heads while listening to her – “she is just being modest” – she explains why it is good that she always has to update her knowledge for a subject. “Some teachers are so clever that they cannot imagine what it is like to hear something for the first time.”

Understanding

In contrast, Blaauboer really has to make time for this in advance. “This ensures that I can understand and put myself in the shoes of the students.” Willow says “You show me that you do not always have to have everything ready to be good in your subject, and that it’s okay to sometimes not know something.”

Hanno van Keulen, an education expert, finds this a strength. “She has so many credits that she can easily say if she does not know something. That is so refreshing.” Van Keulen is Director of Studies of the Higher Education Development course and knows better than anyone what makes a good teacher. He has never seen Blaauboer giving lessons, but he knows her well. “I have seen her giving presentations and have often had meetings with her. She is liveliness personified. I cannot imagine that she would be any different as a teacher.”

‘Not everyone finds it easy to ask questions in a completely full lecture hall’

Back to the credits that Van Keulen believe are key. “Not knowing something is refreshing if you know a lot of other things.” He believes that expertise is the most important quality in a good teacher. “You need to know what you are talking about to such a degree that students think that you understand the topic and feel that they can learn a lot from you.”

Office hours

Outside the lecture times you can always go to Blaauboer during office hours. Both she and her students find this valuable. Blaauboer says that “Not everyone finds it easy to ask questions in a completely full lecture hall. They may be shy or afraid that they will ask a stupid question.”

Rohan nods. “I am that shy person. I prefer asking my questions in person.” He believes that teachers should be more than just someone giving lessons. “They should also be someone who is a friend and a guide.”

This is extra important for him as an international student. “I found it quite hard to adapt to Dutch culture. Miriam was one of the people who helped me. She is almost more a family member than a teacher. To illustrate this, when she won the award, my whole family cheered her.”

Disappointment

That engagement is the second most important aspect of good teaching, says Van Keulen. He sees expertise as fundamental and the contact that teachers make with their students as the second, but essential, step. “Students need to be seen. They want to be challenged, stimulated, helped. But always through your expertise. If you are not an expert, you are only a process coach.”

Does that engagement also have a downside? Education specialist Van Keulen thinks that engaged teachers should primarily be aware of disappointment. “They put a lot of effort into their students. They give their all, and give out this feeling too.” But the question is whether you always get that back. “Students do not always live up to your expectations. There are always a couple who do not attend or do not do their best,” he says.

Boundaries

Van Keulen believes that boundaries can be another pitfall. “Good teachers quickly think that the more energy and time they put in, the better it will be. But if you always give your all and always say yes, you will end up in a burnout.”

‘I do work a lot, but not 24/7’

Blaauboer says that luckily this has not happened to her. “I have never had burnout problems. On average I get more energy from my work than I put in. I try to prioritise properly and always make time – no matter how busy I am – for a jog.” And she takes care of her boundaries. “I do work a lot, but not 24/7. I am not on my phone all the time and I am not reachable at weekends.”

Expectations

Van Keulen says that these boundaries are a good thing for students too. “On the course we often hear starting teachers say that students can always contact them, including in the evenings and weekends. We say that they should not do this and that they make it clear that they will answer emails at particular times. This is not only clear, but it is honest too. Do not create expectations that you cannot meet without going too far.”

Enough praise. Blaauboer is also human, so what are her weak points? The Teacher of the Year straightens up. Both students think for a long time. Willow, hesitant and having thought for a while, says to Blaauboer, “You tend to give classical lessons, with chalk and a blackboard. But auditory processing is not my strong point. I prefer working in small groups with mentoring.” Blaauboer nods passionately. “Good point. I could certainly do more of that.”