I have the ultimate respect for my
students. I do about 20 times the amount of work necessary to keep my
material fresh and interesting. I teach in a state school, near an
inner city, and most of the students are not anything like their
spoiled, entitled counterparts coming out of the schools in the suburbs
in which I live. Many work fulltime and attend school fulltime.
However, I must say, that if there is any display of disrespect going
on, it is the students for the instructors.. or perhaps it is for
learning in general. ( It is generally NOT the minority students who
are the offenders.)
This is only my second semester, and
I've noted people who routinely decide to attend only every other
class; not purchase the book;never communicate about an anticipated or
past absence in an attempt to make up missed work; miss class on a day
they know they are to present material with no explanation;and never do
the reading. I had a recent graduate tell me that I was very kind,
extremely enthusiastic about the subject, creative in the way I used
film, guest speakers and NY Times articles to augment the text and
lecture notes (all this was reflected in all my student
evaluations)...yet this student told me that because I had allowed a
student to make up a missed exam by expanding the content of his term
paper, rather than failing him on the missed exam, I might come across
as "weak", and she went on to extol the virtues of a prof. who made
certain students drop her class after telling those students "You're
not smart enough for my class."
Many students from a working class
background, as mine are from, give respect to those who are stern and
punitive. That's the way they've been socialized to define
respect-inspiring behavior. You should hear, in my Family course, how
many say that good parenting -- like they had -- comes with plenty of
corporal discipline!
Anyway, I love teaching and my
students, and I think they really like me, given that many signed up
for my second class after having me for the first -- but many
(mistakenly) see the more creative way I teach (we're analyzing rap
lyrics this morning) as a way that will be more accommodating of
their lax approach to scholarship in general. I haven't witnessed
much dedication to scholarship or much sociological imagination, and I
guess the generation in which they've grown up and the parenting
they've experienced has much to do with that. I hear the same exact
remarks from my colleagues.
And I do think that those who engage
in "sloppy" classroom behavior will have a rude awakening in the work
force, where lateness, incomplete work and lack of communication are
punished. I mean, can you imagine if I, as an adjunct, nonchalantly
told my department chair, that (like one of my students) I was going to
miss the first 5 weeks of classes due to a pleasure trip?
Sarah
-----
Original Message -----
Sent:
Friday, September 23, 2005 10:09 PM
Subject:
TEACHSOC: Re: about midterm holidays
I find this fascinating as it parallels a quick and
dirty study I did, regarding learning. Teachers were asked which they
would be more likely to do, take away points for untimely/late work or
give points (rewards) for those who have timely/
on time submissions. 90+% preferred to punish. Why should you
reward them for doing what they should. (note the absence
of respect) This is a classic rejection of the good science on
learning. Another victory for lecture think.
What is learned are work patterns not suited for the non academic world.
I do agree that classroom management has become more difficult. I have
had students drop my course because the
8 to 10 page syllabus was too much reading. The problems come from the
dominant definition of the classroom
situation and the use of untested instructional materials. And of
course our failure to use what we know about social learning.
Based on the punitive content and lack of respect for students in the
posts we may not be willing to focus on learning even
if it was allowed.
This situation is also difficult for students... perhaps an example of
disenchantment.
Del
GIMENEZ MARTHA E wrote:
Thank you so much for the very thoughtful and helpful responses I have
received, on and off line. I kept them to use them in the process of
changing my syllabus next semester. I found particularly useful Keith
Roberts suggestion about giving them choices. My concern about giving
less points to make up exams was not intended to punish students but to be
fair to students who had less time to prepare. Also very useful is the
idea of spelling out policy about these issues in the syllabus, calling
students' attention to these policies, making it very clear their
responsibilities during the semester and explaining the reasons why it is
important to develop certain learning and work patterns that will serve
them well as students and beyond.
I don't know whether it is just my perception but I think issues of class
management have become increasingly demanding and complex in the last few
years - my syllabi are beginning to resemble corporate contracts and I now
require at the graduate level that students tell me in writing that they
understand the course requirements and grading policy. Sigh.....
Thanks again - this is what makes this list invaluable.
Martha
