Why do people go to college?
Oh right, independence, sex, drugs and alcohol.
It certainly isn't for the classes.
I'd say about 10% of my 150 person class is clued into college = education.
Since classes started last week I have received 5 emails...which I know is only a paltry 3% of my class...asking if they missed anything crucial in the first week of class and demanding my syllabus. I have received 1 email offering me a correction on my apparent confusion over terms (citing the about dot com professional geographer) (p.s. my definitions were correct). I have received 1 email asking me which of the required reading is really the most useful. And finally, the all important nameless folks who have approached me at the start of lecture--10 to be exact--who have claimed various reasons for potentially missing class at some point and how unfair my pop quiz (you can't make them up) policy is.
Now that I have complained (yet again) about students not caring about class, I must admit that I recognize the formative experience that college is and I do not begrudge them the opportunity to grow as adults and sleep, drink and smoke their way through the undergrad student body (er...time...experience). I certainly did my fair share of those things and I realize that my experience as a student is different, as I am in love with college and classes and research and writing. I realize I'm weird.
I just want them to respect me and pay attention when I'm talking. Is that so much to ask? It's hard to know how to earn the respect of students who won't give you the opportunity to try. And, who will later feel entitled to a good grade, despite having not attempted to earn it.
I have decided not to harp on about paying attention though. In class on Wednesday I gave them the breakdown. If you are an in-state student you're paying (before fees) $600 for my 4-credit class; if you are an out-of-state student that jumps to $2200. I told them that it was up to them how they wanted to use this time that they had paid for. I will leave it at that.
It's an intro class, I can't be expected to win the hearts and minds of people who are taking gen-ed credits right?
Also, I aged several times during my second lecture having mentioned close-encounters of the third kind and 'young' Richard Dreyfuss. 150 blank stares is an amazing sight.
2 comments:
and welcome to teaching.
We are spending on average about 8 to 10 grand a year to educate a k 12 student who doesn't care
why should college be any different.
Totally agree with your desires. I wish we could cut down the field and make college mean something again.
Just try and mentally focus on those who care and forget about the rest.
Just got an email from a student signed up for a one-credit class, which meets three consecutive Saturdays. The student "needs" to miss two of them and wants to know what he can do to make it up. Um. Nothing.
Post a Comment