Not All Students Are Created Equally



I covered two classes in the college on Thursday.  The subject was the same and the students had similar prerequisites to get into the class.  On paper, the exact same students were in each class.  Notice the emphasis on the word paper.

The first class greeted me with, "Wow, he's out.  We have a free day."  I told them that wasn't true.  I was there to teach and would do the lesson the teacher left.  The kids sat down, took out their homework assignment, asked questions and then enthusiastically participated in the lesson.  The class ended at 5:50 and they were willing to stay and have me do some more with them but, as I had another class, I had to leave.  They all thanked me and said they hoped to have a class with me in the future.  I felt so good and was hyped for next class.

The second class greeted me with "Wow, she's out. We can go home."  Again, I said I was there to teach and would do the lesson the teacher left.  They grudgingly walked in and sat down.  Three left as soon as they signed an attendance sheet.  I made sure everyone knew their names were crossed out.  I asked if there were any homework questions to go over.  They said the teacher never gives homework which I knew was not true.  I began teaching and another one got up to leave so another name got crossed off.  Several students participated orally, three took notes but most had their faces glued to their cell phones.  A girl got up after 30 minutes, announced, "I'm Bridgette, cross me off the list" and walked out.  A boy walked in after 45 minutes, announced he usually cuts and has no idea what should be going on in class, stayed 15 minutes and left.  They told me they were going to have a quiz on Tuesday. I said I would review if they told me what was going to be on it.  One girl knew.  The others were clueless.  I'm surprised they even knew there was going to be a test.  They just wanted to leave.  A boy said "It's only a quiz, it doesn't count for much."  I ended up letting them go 15 minutes early.  It wasn't worth the effort holding them any longer.

Two classes, one teacher, successful in one and an utter failure in the other. If it had been a high school class and an administrator had stuck his nose in that second class, I would be history.  Thankfully that is not the case in the college.  No one looks over your shoulder constantly.  They hire people they have faith in and know are good at their jobs.  They know the classes are mixed bags and sometimes you get a rotten bunch.  The teacher is not held accountable for the behavior, attitude and eventual failure of the kids in their classes. 

When I first started teaching I worked for an AP that knew teachers couldn't perform the miracles we are expected to perform today.  Our school was rough and our stats weren't good.  She knew we did the best we could with the kids we had to work with. It is time to go back to thinking like this AP thought.

Tricks Are For Kids (Who We Don't Want To Learn)

 

"Teachers who are teaching the math are the ones with low passing percentages.  You have to teach them tricks.  These kids are not going to be mathematicians."

The above comment was made at a recent department conference by the person in charge.

No wonder the kids come into college not prepared for anything.  Look at what their teachers are being forced  to do.   Who would imagine that actually teaching math is what is causing all the problems in education today.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race



Five classes plus a full time job leaves no time for studying, especially when having a social life is important.  These kids tell me they are in a hurry to graduate.  They don't get it.  I tried explaining that it is better to take six years and make it to the end than to try to do it all and eventually give up.

I give up.  They'll learn the hard way when no degree comes their way.

Rude Awakening

I asked Brian, a student in my college class if he was a cutter in high school.  He gave me a little smile and asked how I knew.  I told him years of experience.  It is obvious from the work he does when he is in class that he is a very bright young man.  It is also obvious that he has major holes in his knowledge and the only thing he knows is the stuff he picks up when he shows up.  Studying and homework are things foreign to him.   His attendance in my class is not as good as it should be either.

I didn't lecture him about studying or showing up.  He's heard that 100's of times before.  I reminded him that college, unlike high school, costs lots of money.  Of course his answer was "It doesn't cost anything. I get financial aid."  I then told him that financial aid was his money and if he wasn't careful he would use it all up before he got started on his real education.  I told him the story of a girl who was now in debt up to her eye balls paying for the education that her financial aid should have paid for.

He was polite and agreed and I wish I could say he got it, but I am sure he didn't.  I'm afraid this year will be a washout for him.  He's in for a rude awakening when he finds college grading and high school grading are not the same.

From A Former Packemin Student (Not One Of Mine)

Entitlement

The girl walked out of (college) class 20 minutes early.  She left without a word, no excuse, no apology, nothing.  To everyone in the room, she appeared to have left because she felt like leaving.  She had done this several times before so her actions shocked no one.  Not even being reprimanded by the teacher seemed to make a difference.

The next class had her in her seat bright and early.  Unfortunately, she had no clue as to what was going on and loudly announced she understood nothing.  She expected the class to stop while she was brought up to snuff.  The teacher calmly said the work had been taught the day she left early.  Instead of being apologetic, she got angry and claimed she only left twenty minutes early and then gave some lame excuse.  She was reprimanded for not doing the reading and the homework, her responsibility whether she was in class or not.  She walked over to another student, sat down and tried to get help in the middle of the class, never caring that her voice was keeping others from learning.  The teacher put a stop to that too.  Again, she got angry and said, "I"m not in the mood to talk to you now."  Before she was asked to leave, she sulked back to her seat and kept quiet for the rest of the class.

And then, without guilt but worrying about her grade, she sends this:

I would like to talk to you like an adult, on a professional level. I feel that sometimes you may have personal feelings towards me & it makes me feel very disrespected. Please don't get me wrong, I shouldn't have been asking for help in the middle of class, but Judy offered to guide me through a little bit until I understood it more. I am also admitting to my wrong for leaving 15 minutes before class ended but my little brother had an emergency at home so I had to get there as soon as possible. I try my hardest in this class and I never been to tutoring until I took this course & I'm truly desperate to master it. I just wanted you to know how I felt & to clarify everything via email. Thanks.

I decided I am too old and too tired to deal with this BS anymore and ignored the letter.  She got the point.  Last night, she was in the lab bright and early, trying to catch up.  She was as sweet as possible in class and worked hard too.

Part of me doesn't even blame this student for her actions.  Her high school education consisted of one entitlement class after another.  If she failed, there was a credit recovery class.  If that assignment took too long, the people in charge made it shorter.  If it was too hard, the passing grade was lowered.  She learned that she could always get her way and expects this to keep on happening.  What a generation we've created.  I fear for the future.