True Prediction

I wish I wasn't so good at making predictions because I knew from the very first class in August James would not finish successfully.  I could see it in the way he answered questions but never wrote anything down, by the smirk when I collected homework and he had none to hand in (although he did do one assignment late), by the way he sat in the back, arms folded and body relaxed, and by the way he did not hand in the pretty simple take home exams.  James scored 96 on his first exam and I told him that scared me.  His overconfidence wouldn't help as the class got harder.  I told him stories of previous students he reminded me over.  I could see he knew what I was talking about.

James did not show up for tonight's exam.  Since he has not handed in homework this is not a grade to drop so a zero will be averaged in its place.  I know there are problems he faces outside of class but he made a commitment to school that he I just not keeping.  I wish I could write that I hope he learns from experience  but I know from my experience it will be years, or maybe never until he learns.  I did my best to prevent his failing but it didn't help.  I could not prevent what I knew was inevitable.

Making Of A Successful Student

I covered a pre-calculus class in the college today.  You'd think students at this level would care about learning and some do.  I was shocked when several got up and walked out after attendance was taken.Crossing names off the list didn't stop several more from leaving even though they knew they were responsible for the chapter being taught.

About half the class stayed.  We had a wonderful lesson.  The students were attentive, asked questions and worked hard.  Several stopped by on their way out and thanked me for teaching them.  These are the kids that belong in college.  They will succeed.  They make teaching fun.

My Job, As I See It

A young teacher at the college told me he continually stresses over finding ways to get his students to care, to do the work, to study.  I told him I don't.

My job, the way I see it, is to present the material in a way that is understandable and engaging.  I have to design assignments that reinforce what was done in class.  I have to create exams that accurately test what was taught.  I have to return them in a timely fashion and clear up anything my students do not understand.   I have to answer questions during and after class and to respond to e-mails from my students.  Of course I must have complete understanding of the things I teach and be prepared.

I am tired to telling them to put their phones away or that they can't afford another absence.  I don't know how to convince them to do homework when showing them the test questions they got wrong came straight from these assignments.  I'm sick of explaining why I won't stop teaching until 8:25, the time the class ends.

I teach in a junior college where many of my students are dealing with crisis in their personal lives.  Many have full time jobs and families.  Still, they made a commitment to attend school and must commit to doing what is necessary to succeed.  If they can't find the motivation within themselves I can not and will not give it to them.  I'm sorry for their personal problems, the divorce, the sick parent, the rent being due, but I can't do more than lend a sympathetic ear.

I strive to be the best teacher possible but maybe I am just getting old and jaded.  Probably best to leave teaching to the young.

Why Even Bother?

The class was given a major take home assignment over spring break.  They were told it would count as an exam and they should work in groups and get help in the lab if necessary. They were also told not to bother handing it in if they did not do a good job on it as it would count as an extra grade, a grade that should help, not hurt their average.

Student One left out 5 out of 15 problems and wanted to hand it in anyway.  When I told her the most she could score was 75 she picked up the paper and walked away in a huff.

Student Two handed in the paper and then tried to take it back so he could fill in more answers. When I told him if he took it back he couldn't resubmit, he took it back anyway.  He did not want a failing grade.

Student Three didn't bother doing it. He said it was too hard.  He then asked me if he should drop the class.  Although he is passing at the moment, I told him he should drop as the take home assignment was also a review for the final.  If he couldn't do it at home, he had no shot of doing it on final day.

I haven't looked at the papers yet and I am guessing I still have other missing papers.

This week I covered a class for a colleague.  Only a handful of students showed up, good conscientious students.  I told them I was impressed.  They told me the "do nothings" didn't bother showing up since their teacher would not be present. They told me he had a lot of patience.

I just don't understand today's college students.  They have every opportunity to get help and improve grades and do nothing about it. They want to pass but are unwilling to put forth any effort to do so.

Cynicism

I've covered classes and stood behind countless teachers who photocopy text book questions and handouts that parallel the wonderful text used in the college because the kids don't buy the books.  I am not one of those.  I understand the books are very expensive, but kids have options.  The texts are available for use in the lab and the library.  The library even lets them copy up to 300 pages free.  They all have phones that could take pictures of problems.  I refuse to baby them.

These college students come in expecting to be spoon fed like they were in high school.  They want everything done for them and want to do nothing for themselves. What are we teaching them if we don't teach them to be responsible adults?  Maybe I am wrong and these other teachers are right.  Maybe I am just getting too old and sinister to be teaching anymore.

Pleasure In Suffering

I got a perverse pleasure watching Billy take tonight's exam.

He found the exam difficult because he never bothered to do the review problems that were assigned.  He didn't even know how to use his calculator although that was gone over many times.  I enjoyed seeing his face turn red as he had no idea how to fix his graphing window and get out of his error message.

Billy is bright.  He wants A's.  Hopefully this test was a wake up call and he will realize he is not in high school anymore.

I Don't Blame The Kids

Billy was obnoxious Tuesday evening.  I was taking questions from the set of review problems I gave   the class the previous week to help them prepare for an upcoming exam.  Several students asked me to do all the problems.  I refused.  So many had not even looked at the study guide.  A few expected to be retaught the entire chapter. One student even had the nerve to tell me he wasn't getting his money worth for the course he paid for.

I don't blame these kids.  The worst offender, the boy who wasn't getting what he paid for, is a recent high school graduate.  He attended a fairly good high school in Queens.  Being bright, he was able to get by there with no work.  Everyone had to pass to keep the schools stats up so he grew up expecting to do nothing to achieve decent grades.  He doesn't understand why this is not happening in college.  He gets angry when I won't assign take home tests and when test answers cannot be found by plugging numbers in a calculator.  He has a brain but it hadn't been used.  Thinking is a skill he did not develop in high school.

I don't blame the students.  A Principal once told me we had to give diplomas to everyone as the diploma was the key to their futures.  If he saw some of my students he would change his tune.  He would see the diploma we give today is worse than no diploma at all.

Crazy: If I Did Not See It, I Would Not Believe It

Charles missed three classes, came back and scored 32 on his first exam.

He then missed 4 more classes.

I just opened an e-mail him with a medical note attached.  Unfortunately, the medical note is for his cousin and makes no mention of him.

I told him to drop the class.

Feeling Nostalgic

I helped a sick friend administer the final exam to her class this week.  She is a good teacher, well liked.  As her students filed out, many said goodbye and told her to feel better, but some just handed in their papers and walked out.  It is the same in most college classes, an empty feeling as the students leave that last day.

This is one of the things I don't like about teaching college.  I grow to like my students in the short time they are with me, and I know most feel the same about me but, when that last day comes, it is goodbye forever. There is almost no way to know what happens after they walk out that door.

I miss the little mementos I used to get from my high school students.  No matter how ugly, or small, they all sit where I can see them and they make me smile as I gaze upon them often.  Now that I no longer work in the high school, I have many as my Facebook friends and know how they are getting on.

I will never forget the face of the girl who handed me the candelabra pictured above.  It is probably one of the ugliest things I have ever seen.  She was so happy with her gift.  She said she spent a long time finding me a perfect one.  And, I guess it is perfect, because I look at it and think about her all the time.

Letter From A Student

Below is a paraphrase of an actual letter sent to a friend of mine.  This student attends a very expensive four year college.

Dear Professor:
I am writing to you today to let you know I will not be taking the final exam tomorrow.  As you know, I haven't been in class more than three times this semester, but this has not been my fault.  You requested medical documentation and I gave my doctor permission to talk to you.  Please call him at 516 -XXX-XXXX.  I would have been ready for the final if you e-mailed me the chapters I had to study.  As for the homework I owe you, they have been scanned and are attached.  I know they were due the last day of class, but that is too bad.  There are only 12 attached so it should not be a problem for you to download them and then mark them all.

Let me know when I can take this exam and what I should study. I don't know what I did with the syllabus you handed out and since I haven't been in class, I don't know what has been covered.   Please don't schedule it before 10:00 AM or after 2:00 PM.  Also, Mondays and Fridays are not good days for me.
Thank you.  I plan on applying to medical school and really need an A in this class.  My dean will be speaking to you.

Sincerely yours,


Biggest Loser in College Today

(Pictured above it the Yeti from Sak's holiday window.) 

Crunch Time



Finals are just around the corner and the kids are waking up and starting to work.  It will be too late for most to pass, but I am glad they are finally starting to get it.  Hopefully the second time around will also be the last time.

Street Smarts



Robert sits in class, night after night, ignoring everything except his cell phone and his long trips to the bathroom.  I've spoken to him repeatedly but have gotten no where.  Monday night I asked him why he even bothered to show up.  He looked at me and said, "Why do you bother to talk to me?"  I realized he was on to something.  Maybe he would never get a college degree but he had street smarts.  I was wasting my time and energy on a person who would not change. 

And that was the last time I spoke to him. Tonight, he walked out early.  I changed his attendance to absent so he is now over the limit and will get a grade that gives him no credit and might hurt his financial aid.  Maybe next term he will realize there is a reason teachers talk to students who are not doing the right thing.