I’m wrapping up another semester teaching at Universidade Potiguar (UnP), and it’s been a deeply rewarding experience — full of insights, challenges, and unexpected laughs. Teaching over the course of several months is a completely different beast from running workshops or giving conference talks. Those are intense bursts of energy. This is a marathon of continuity, uncertainty, late-night questions, and long-haul growth — for students and for me.
The Challenge of Consistency
One of the biggest lessons? Consistency. Staying motivated week after week is hard — especially when you can see that the class is juggling their own academic chaos. Some weeks, half the class shows up with the face of someone who just got hit by a Calculus exam. “Professor, do you mind if I miss today? I really need to revise integrals before the test.” And I get it. I’ve been that student too.
Teaching Requires Vulnerability
As the weeks go by, I’m reminded that teaching isn’t just about expertise. It’s also about vulnerability. You’re not just delivering content — you’re adapting constantly. Some students need encouragement, others need challenge, and most just need to feel seen.
Each group is unique. A simple prompt can become a 15-minute discussion about clean code. A basic diagram might unlock months of confusion for someone. That’s the beauty and the difficulty of this work.
Advocating for Software Engineering
Sometimes, I feel like I have to defend our profession. Software engineering is often misunderstood — reduced to “those who fix computers” or “people who sit in dark rooms.” What gets missed is how people-centric this work is.
I try to remind students: writing code is just part of the job. Knowing who you’re solving for and why you’re building something — that’s what makes a great engineer.
Thanks to UnP and a Chance to Keep Going
I’m grateful to be invited back for another semester. Big thanks to Gedson Nunes for renewing that trust and opening this door again. Teaching keeps me sharp, humble, and constantly questioning how I communicate what I know.
Final Thoughts
To all the students who showed up, asked questions, challenged assumptions, and even missed a few classes to cram for Calculus: thank you. You were part of something that’s bigger than code.
And for anyone who thinks teaching is just about slides and schedules… try turning a chaotic week into a meaningful class. The classroom doesn’t just ask for knowledge — it demands presence, empathy, and creativity.
See you next semester, with new lessons and more stories to tell.
This post is Part 18 of 19 in the series “Lectures on Software Engineering”
Previous: Version Control: Essential Foundation (Part 17) Next: Closing a Chapter: Gratitude and New Paths (Part 19)