On Fri, 5 Nov 1999, ANN MUIR THOMAS wrote:
> My students are, well, different than I am. They are for the most part
One of the most important insights I ever had about teaching occurred at
a party at my apartment when I was in graduate school. The party was
almost entirely psychology graduate students, and we were all bitching
and moaning about how our students didn't work hard enough, didn't read
the material, didn't study well, etc., etc. I noticed my wife (a
working medical technologist) shaking her head as she listened to our
conversation. "What is it?" I asked.
She said "You guys don't get it: YOU'RE the 'weird ones!'"
We all sort of sat in stunned silence for a minute, and then started
laughing, because we knew she was right. WE were the ones who worked
our butts off for grades, while our classmates were drinking an extra
beer (not that we -ignored- beer!). WE were the ones who worked hard,
applied and got into graduate school; many of our classmates did not.
WE were the ones who, for whatever reason, were good at standardized
tests. It became so clear to me, and I believe all of us there, why our
students weren't achieving at the level we wanted them to; the same
reason many of our bright -classmates- didn't achieve at the level we
did.
While I like to think I still have lofty expectations for my students,
and I think my teaching is -much- better than it was when I was in grad
school (o those many years ago!), whenever I want to scream at students
about not achieving up to their potential, I remember what my wife
(thank you Nancy!) said at that party, calm down, and try to -talk- them
into it.
bob "weird one" k.
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Robert Keefer Associate Professor
Psychology Department Office Phone:
Mt. St. Mary's College (301) 447-5394, Ext. 4251
Emmitsburg, MD 21727 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[Speaking for myself.] fax: 301-447-5021
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