The corridors of UQAM, more precisely those of the psychology department, no longer hold any secrets for Marc-Simon Drouin. Thirty-two years after giving his first lesson, this enthusiastic professor still maintains the same flame: that of teaching, that of the transmission of knowledge. Discussion.
You started teaching as a lecturer in 1991, before becoming a professor in 2001. How can you explain that you still love it, in 2023?
I love teaching. Transmission has always been something I loved. That’s part of what turns me on. This is an advantage with the university, we have a clientele who are interested compared to secondary school. They teach material where young people are sometimes not sure how it will be useful to them later.
I mainly teach psychotherapy, humanistic psychology. I have an interesting clientele because they have already started thinking about their journey. I have the chance to give courses very close to professional practice, different from colleagues or other universities.
You have been teaching the same two courses for over 20 years. What does it look like ?
The first 10 years, it’s about finding the trajectory of the course; what are the achievements that it is reasonable to expect in 45 hours. I have the pleasure of teaching a subject that is less present among colleagues or in other universities.
Afterwards, to improve the courses, once the trajectory is found and the objectives are clear… we can add case analyzes and new material. I have been giving the two courses for 22-23 years, and they have changed a lot.
What has evolved over the years?
There are things we used to say that we can no longer say, but the essence of teaching has not changed that much. We have access to more clinical material and tools, such as more lively material with demonstrations, and not just theoretical material.
There is a certain caution, which is a good thing in certain respects: we are more sensitive to realities different from ours… but at the same time, we must not censor ourselves either, because we are there to be in contact with conflicts and difficult situations. It’s part of life.
Did certain students leave an impression on you?
I have had students of extraordinary emotional intelligence. I think of some of them, who were sensitive, but not sentimental. That’s what makes it fun, the different students. We never have the same questions, never exactly the same connection with them. And there are some who have become accomplished therapists… we notice them, these students.
Any advice for having this longevity in front of the board, like you?
Keep your cool, take a certain number of calculated risks, be careful that the message gets across. I teach as I would have liked to be taught. It won’t suit everyone, but it doesn’t get any worse.
And your own color?
I try to reach my students, so that they can be reached. I also like to laugh a lot, I manage so that we don’t get too upset even if we learn complex things. I want to make it meaningful. And for me, too, respect is non-negotiable. I still have colleagues who are harsh… you won’t gain anything from doing that.
Will you be teaching for a long time, Professor Drouin?
I think I’ll be doing this for at least another seven or eight years. I also do clinical, doctoral supervision and supervise psychologists. I play the trumpet too, but that’s another story [rires].
I don’t want to appear virtuous, but the day I stop having fun is the day I stop teaching.
*For brevity and readability, the words in this interview have been edited.