I'm, what's the word now, appalled? stunned? ...un-impressed, perhaps, by the average freshman's attitude to professors, teachers and more importantly, to acquiring knowledge. On the whole, I get the impression that they're just. not. interested.
Okay, granted, it is an English Composition class.
But effort has been made all around to make sure that the class is not about "poetry". The aim of the class is to teach critical reading and writing skills. How can it be hard to see how the class would be useful across the curriculum?
I do realize that this is very traditional of me, but I've come to expect respect in a classroom situation. Now, now... not for me - not even if I'm older (and wiser, ha ha). I concede that I don't know enough - but respect for the work that these kids are (supposed to be) doing. Turns out that kind of attitude is obsolete. Oh joy!
I stay up nights planning out class work, syllabii, grading papers and most recently teaching myself to be less "formal" in my approach to the class. The very least I thought I could expect was attention. Apparently not. Scarce commodity around these parts.
Oh there is one thing that is available in abundance though - cockiness.
This week, I've had the dubious pleasure of hearing, "Yeah, I tend be very profound and look beyond the text" in response to "Good job on picking up on that point" ; "She's so ridiculous" to an exercise and "What do we have to do to write a summary", after two weeks of classes on the topic.
I even had one kid tell me that English was not his thing. In English. American kid. Very telling, isn't it?.
Okay, yeah, I wasn't a perfect under-grad. Far from it, really. I almost always turned work in at the last minute. I did have "opinions" (like all hot-blooded 18 year olds). I was such a piece of work! I'm sure I wasn't a pleasure to be around. But I don't remember saying anything like that to a teacher. Or saying "I don't want to" when called upon to participate in class.
The whole "So what if you're my teacher, I can be where you are" (extending even to "Oh so you have a Phd. in the subject you're teaching me. Big deal. I can do that too, if I want to.") doesn't fly with me. But turns out that for my sanity and my job I should follow my professors. I'm going to have to suck it up and desist from saying, "Yes, you idiot, you can, but you haven't and the way things are going, doesn't look like you're about to".
Ah bon! C'est (apparently) la vie!
Okay, granted, it is an English Composition class.
But effort has been made all around to make sure that the class is not about "poetry". The aim of the class is to teach critical reading and writing skills. How can it be hard to see how the class would be useful across the curriculum?
I do realize that this is very traditional of me, but I've come to expect respect in a classroom situation. Now, now... not for me - not even if I'm older (and wiser, ha ha). I concede that I don't know enough - but respect for the work that these kids are (supposed to be) doing. Turns out that kind of attitude is obsolete. Oh joy!
I stay up nights planning out class work, syllabii, grading papers and most recently teaching myself to be less "formal" in my approach to the class. The very least I thought I could expect was attention. Apparently not. Scarce commodity around these parts.
Oh there is one thing that is available in abundance though - cockiness.
This week, I've had the dubious pleasure of hearing, "Yeah, I tend be very profound and look beyond the text" in response to "Good job on picking up on that point" ; "She's so ridiculous" to an exercise and "What do we have to do to write a summary", after two weeks of classes on the topic.
I even had one kid tell me that English was not his thing. In English. American kid. Very telling, isn't it?.
Okay, yeah, I wasn't a perfect under-grad. Far from it, really. I almost always turned work in at the last minute. I did have "opinions" (like all hot-blooded 18 year olds). I was such a piece of work! I'm sure I wasn't a pleasure to be around. But I don't remember saying anything like that to a teacher. Or saying "I don't want to" when called upon to participate in class.
The whole "So what if you're my teacher, I can be where you are" (extending even to "Oh so you have a Phd. in the subject you're teaching me. Big deal. I can do that too, if I want to.") doesn't fly with me. But turns out that for my sanity and my job I should follow my professors. I'm going to have to suck it up and desist from saying, "Yes, you idiot, you can, but you haven't and the way things are going, doesn't look like you're about to".
Ah bon! C'est (apparently) la vie!
2 comments:
One thing to always keep in mind, though, my dear, is that YOU wield the mighty red pen. If they don't deserve to pass, then don't pass them. Mommy and Daddy may not be too excited to pay for Comp I again just because Little Johnny was too busy being a jackass to try to learn. Sadly, though, that is the predominant mentality within this generation, or at least it was in my teaching experience as well. My advice? Just become a famous author who makes bazillions and who can ignore the little punks!
See I KNEW you'd have the world's best advice :) :) muah!
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