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I am teaching a set of classes during the evening that is part of an career skills program at a local college designed to get low skilled people away from a cycle of unemployment and dead end jobs into a career as an administrative support professional. The students have to take about 120 hours of classes and then get a pass fail grade. They receive a Certificate of completion, not a diploma or any A, B, C, D or F grades.
The students are quite a group. I am saddened by their hard luck stories and history of failure. Most of them have blamed the system, racism and bad managers for their lack of success so far. I hear an earful from most of them all the time.
Anyway, most of the students believe that they can finally get a good job if they complete the courses and graduate. They do not want to speak up in class or do anything above the minimum qualifications. When I ask many of them to answer a question about things we have already discussed, they will freeze up and go mute.
So I decided to require class attendance and have everyone do a 60 second presentation in front of class answering the following question commonly asked during job descriptions. (Tell me about yourself) I gave everyone a week to practice the presentation with friends and relatives or the mirror, and then called them up one by one.
Most people did their presentation but were incredibly inarticulate but two foreign students from Turkey refused. They insisted that a good class was all lecture and students should not have to participate other than taking notes. When I pushed them they stormed out and called my boss to try to get me fired. Now they are back in the class after getting no satisfaction from school administration, but have not done their 60 second presentation. Should I still push them or just pass the students to get them out of my hair?
You must teach at the worst school around.
FAIL them.
Actually it is a good school, the students, like the society they come from, are the problem. The school is just trying to open up opportunities to those that have struggled their entire lives.
Most people did their presentation but were incredibly inarticulate but two foreign students from Turkey refused. They insisted that a good class was all lecture and students should not have to participate other than taking notes. When I pushed them they stormed out and called my boss to try to get me fired. Now they are back in the class after getting no satisfaction from school administration, but have not done their 60 second presentation. Should I still push them or just pass the students to get them out of my hair?
You should be consistent when keeping the grades requirement, foreign or not.
Not being racist, but just be ready to call 911 in case they threaten to suicide-bomb themselves... LOL
Actually it is a good school, the students, like the society they come from, are the problem. The school is just trying to open up opportunities to those that have struggled their entire lives.
Well then, it's great that it's a "good school" that is trying to open up opportunities to them. Now teach them a "real world" lesson and fail them because they aren't doing what is required of everyone in order to pass the class. For them to not fulfill the requirements of the class is no different than telling your boss that you're not going to do your job IMHO.
Displaying that kind of attitude in the workplace will assure that they won't stay there very long. They may as well learn that now.
Anyway, most of the students believe that they can finally get a good job if they complete the courses and graduate. They do not want to speak up in class or do anything above the minimum qualifications. When I ask many of them to answer a question about things we have already discussed, they will freeze up and go mute.
That is exactly why they will continue to be losers in life. These minorities come here from other places and they expect things to be handed to them. You have to WORK for it.
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