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If the publisher provides an excellent power point, why do teachers need to make their own? I don't get this attitude. If we use the ancillaries provided for us, we're lazy but what did we pay for when we bought them? The ancillaries that go with the books are written by experts. Why would you think we wouldn't use them? If the ancillaries are written well and they stress what needs to be stressed, there is every reason to use them and it doesn't mean the teacher is lazy, though we do tend to be very busy so we welcome a good power point being handed to us. Mine didn't come from the book but few are written by me. Most are ones I got from friends or found on line that I edited to suit my purposes. I see no point to reinventing the wheel when there is so much excellent material out there to pick from and I find that I learn a thing or two myself by using someone else's power point. Other people have good ideas too. Why do you think teaching should be done in isolation while ignoring all the work other people have done to teach the same subject?
Congratulations that you can read. Do you realize that is not true for everyone in the class? You might find this surprising but it's not all about you. You may need X but the student sitting next to you needs Y and the student sitting behind him needs Z so, surprise, surprise, it won't always be what YOU want/need at the moment. There are 30 of you sitting in my classroom and I have to try to teach to the majority. If you can learn it on your own, have at it. I need to worry about the student sitting behind you who can't. Obviously, YOU aren't an auditory learner. I am. I love lectures and professors who talk and talk and talk. I like following their logic to a conclusion that I wouldn't have come to on my own. It shows me a different way to approach a problem. While I can read, I struggle with reading comprehension. I'm the type of person who must read out loud and take detailed notes while reading to get anything out of reading. So, tell me why the classroom should be set up to serve you but not me.
Given that students are not clones and have different needs, teachers have a daunting task. To present the material in ways so everyone has a chance to learn it. That means that MOST OF THE TIME you will NOT be handed what you would prefer. That's just the way it is when dealing with groups of people who have different abilities and needs. I use power points for those who need something to focus on, I lecture for those who are auditory learners, I assign reading notes for those who learn well by reading, I plan lab and lab activities for those who are hands on learners and I have every expectation that most of my class is bored with what we are doing at the moment because it wasn't designed with them in mind. I have 30 kids in my classes to think about not just you. It is YOU who needs to learn how to deal with boredom because this will not change until they start cloning people and I get 30 identical clones to teach in my class. Then and only then will I be able to cater to you and your clones.
You and I share one thing in common and that is wanting to discuss things with the professor. I'll let you in on a secret. Professors keep office hours and they like having students come in who want to discuss the material. I have fond memories of debates with professors outside of class from college because I went to see them to ask my questions. You're complaining about something YOU should be fixing here. I'm afraid it's not your professor who is using the publisher's power point who is the lazy one here. Take some initiative.
Oh, wow! You had a lot to say about the few sentences I wrote. I don't consider the publisher's powerpoints as "excellent powerpoints" because it's an outline of the book's chapters and section headings (which I read before class). The only reason I attend is because attendance counts towards our grade. I don't see anything wrong with using one found online or another professor's powerpoint. I look at powerpoints from other schools all the time.
Oh, trust me! I know everyone can't read. I find it sad. Luckily, they can hide it in college. I remember when the teacher would force us to read a paragraph aloud (grade school), and we would have to sit there are listen to students struggle. Thankfully, this is something I don't have to worry about.
I find it great that you do more than just lecture, unfortunately, that's not the case with the majority of classes that I've taken.
Quote:
It is YOU who needs to learn how to deal with boredom because this will not change until they start cloning people and I get 30 identical clones to teach in my class. You're complaining about something YOU should be fixing here.
I've learn to deal with the fact the teachers won't cater to my needs a LONG time ago. When I reading the responses to this thread, it seemed as if many of those who responded were in denial that they're boring. I have no problem with schools, I just standing up there reading off of the publisher's powerpoint is extremely boring and tedious (considering the fact that I read the chapter prior to class, like I'm supposed to).
In response to your last paragraph: How snarky! I attend office hours regularly to clear up anything I'm fuzzy on and sometimes I even get hints on what to focus on when studying for the exam. And I agree, I get the feeling that the professors enjoy it.
Oh, wow! You had a lot to say about the few sentences I wrote. I don't consider the publisher's powerpoints as "excellent powerpoints" because it's an outline of the book's chapters and section headings (which I read before class). The only reason I attend is because attendance counts towards our grade. I don't see anything wrong with using one found online or another professor's powerpoint. I look at powerpoints from other schools all the time.
Oh, trust me! I know everyone can't read. I find it sad. Luckily, they can hide it in college. I remember when the teacher would force us to read a paragraph aloud (grade school), and we would have to sit there are listen to students struggle. Thankfully, this is something I don't have to worry about.
I find it great that you do more than just lecture, unfortunately, that's not the case with the majority of classes that I've taken.
I've learn to deal with the fact the teachers won't cater to my needs a LONG time ago. When I reading the responses to this thread, it seemed as if many of those who responded were in denial that they're boring. I have no problem with schools, I just standing up there reading off of the publisher's powerpoint is extremely boring and tedious (considering the fact that I read the chapter prior to class, like I'm supposed to).
In response to your last paragraph: How snarky! I attend office hours regularly to clear up anything I'm fuzzy on and sometimes I even get hints on what to focus on when studying for the exam. And I agree, I get the feeling that the professors enjoy it.
I have a lot to say about it because there is a lot to say about it. You cannot judge the quality of a teacher on whether they taught exactly how YOU want things taught. It's not all about YOU. When teaching a group of people, the group must be considered. Ok, you read the book. Does everyone? The professor chooses to use the ancillaries that came with the book. That might just mean the professor thinks they cover what needs to be covered. That is the professor's call and it's a call made with the entire class in mind not just you. I find that I have to present the same idea three times for most of my students to get it. So I assign it in the reading, I have it in my power point (apparently it's a no no to cover the same material in your power point that is in the reading according to you and it's your call because you are the only one who counts in the room. ) and I cover it again with a lab or activity. If a teacher deals with students with only three learning styles and tries to cater to them equally, that means that 2/3 of the time you can expect that the teacher is not catering to you. It's rather simple math and logic. What works for you doesn't work for everyone and you're not the most important person in the room.
If you know that you're not the most important person in the room and you considered that teachers deal with 30 students at a time with multiple learning styles and you know that to get individual attention you must seek it outside of the classroom, what were you complaining about? What is it you think the professors should change and why? You spoke about what YOU wanted in your post and never reflected on the rest of the class or the reasons why things are done the way they are as if they don't matter. Your post reads as if it's all about you and how you think the classrooms you attend should be run.
Here's my challenge to you. Go into teaching and get back to me about 5 years after you start. You have no idea what is involved in teaching people dozens at a time.
Last edited by Ivorytickler; 04-04-2014 at 04:05 AM..
I have a lot to say about it because there is a lot to say about it. You cannot judge the quality of a teacher on whether they taught exactly how YOU want things taught. It's not all about YOU. When teaching a group of people, the group must be considered. Ok, you read the book. Does everyone? The professor chooses to use the ancillaries that came with the book. That might just mean the professor thinks they cover what needs to be covered. That is the professor's call and it's a call made with the entire class in mind not just you. I find that I have to present the same idea three times for most of my students to get it. So I assign it in the reading, I have it in my power point (apparently it's a no no to cover the same material in your power point that is in the reading according to you and it's your call because you are the only one who counts in the room. ) and I cover it again with a lab or activity. If a teacher deals with students with only three learning styles and tries to cater to them equally, that means that 2/3 of the time you can expect that the teacher is not catering to you. It's rather simple math and logic. What works for you doesn't work for everyone and you're not the most important person in the room.
If you know that you're not the most important person in the room and you considered that teachers deal with 30 students at a time with multiple learning styles and you know that to get individual attention you must seek it outside of the classroom, what were you complaining about? What is it you think the professors should change and why? You spoke about what YOU wanted in your post and never reflected on the rest of the class or the reasons why things are done the way they are as if they don't matter. Your post reads as if it's all about you and how you think the classrooms you attend should be run.
Here's my challenge to you. Go into teaching and get back to me about 5 years after you start. You have no idea what is involved in teaching people dozens at a time.
You're taking this WAY too far. My first comment on this thread is simply an opinion. Here's my challenge to you: Take a chill pill and quit being so snarky.
You're taking this WAY too far. My first comment on this thread is simply an opinion. Here's my challenge to you: Take a chill pill and quit being so snarky.
Don't need one. I'm not the one complaining about how the world doesn't cater to me. I'm simply pointing out how little thought went into your opinion.
Unfortunately, your attitude isn't unusual. Entertain me seems to be the mantra these days. Unfortunately, what you find entertaining will be boring to someone else and vice versa. Teachers do what works for most students because it's impossible to please them all. Unfortunately, too many people can't figure this out. Education is what YOU make it not what your teacher makes it. Two of my favorite professors would be considered boring by most but if you considered their background and worked to follow along in lecture, they were quite brilliant. I've never thought my professors needed to entertain me so I think I was one step ahead of the game going in.
Don't need one. I'm not the one complaining about how the world doesn't cater to me. I'm simply pointing out how little thought went into your opinion.
Unfortunately, your attitude isn't unusual. Entertain me seems to be the mantra these days. Unfortunately, what you find entertaining will be boring to someone else and vice versa. Teachers do what works for most students because it's impossible to please them all. Unfortunately, too many people can't figure this out. Education is what YOU make it not what your teacher makes it. Two of my favorite professors would be considered boring by most but if you considered their background and worked to follow along in lecture, they were quite brilliant. I've never thought my professors needed to entertain me so I think I was one step ahead of the game going in.
If the publisher provides an excellent power point, why do teachers need to make their own? I don't get this attitude. If we use the ancillaries provided for us, we're lazy but what did we pay for when we bought them? The ancillaries that go with the books are written by experts. Why would you think we wouldn't use them? If the ancillaries are written well and they stress what needs to be stressed, there is every reason to use them and it doesn't mean the teacher is lazy, though we do tend to be very busy so we welcome a good power point being handed to us. Mine didn't come from the book but few are written by me. Most are ones I got from friends or found on line that I edited to suit my purposes. I see no point to reinventing the wheel when there is so much excellent material out there to pick from and I find that I learn a thing or two myself by using someone else's power point. Other people have good ideas too. Why do you think teaching should be done in isolation while ignoring all the work other people have done to teach the same subject?
Congratulations that you can read. Do you realize that is not true for everyone in the class? You might find this surprising but it's not all about you. You may need X but the student sitting next to you needs Y and the student sitting behind him needs Z so, surprise, surprise, it won't always be what YOU want/need at the moment. There are 30 of you sitting in my classroom and I have to try to teach to the majority. If you can learn it on your own, have at it. I need to worry about the student sitting behind you who can't. Obviously, YOU aren't an auditory learner. I am. I love lectures and professors who talk and talk and talk. I like following their logic to a conclusion that I wouldn't have come to on my own. It shows me a different way to approach a problem. While I can read, I struggle with reading comprehension. I'm the type of person who must read out loud and take detailed notes while reading to get anything out of reading. So, tell me why the classroom should be set up to serve you but not me.
Given that students are not clones and have different needs, teachers have a daunting task. To present the material in ways so everyone has a chance to learn it. That means that MOST OF THE TIME you will NOT be handed what you would prefer. That's just the way it is when dealing with groups of people who have different abilities and needs. I use power points for those who need something to focus on, I lecture for those who are auditory learners, I assign reading notes for those who learn well by reading, I plan lab and lab activities for those who are hands on learners and I have every expectation that most of my class is bored with what we are doing at the moment because it wasn't designed with them in mind. I have 30 kids in my classes to think about not just you. It is YOU who needs to learn how to deal with boredom because this will not change until they start cloning people and I get 30 identical clones to teach in my class. Then and only then will I be able to cater to you and your clones.
You and I share one thing in common and that is wanting to discuss things with the professor. I'll let you in on a secret. Professors keep office hours and they like having students come in who want to discuss the material. I have fond memories of debates with professors outside of class from college because I went to see them to ask my questions. You're complaining about something YOU should be fixing here. I'm afraid it's not your professor who is using the publisher's power point who is the lazy one here. Take some initiative.
Nonsense. The entire post is nonsense.
Her point was teachers, and really anyone, should not read a PowerPoint to their audience. THIS IS UNIVERSALLY TRUE. You claim to be from a tech background. You should know this. Conference presentations where this occurs are universally the worst and those presenters are not allowed back.
Second, the fact that you think textbook provided PowerPoint are 1.excellent and 2. Made by experts, is literally laughable.
Textbooks themselves are written by experts but the power points, and it guarantee I have seen the vast majority as the reviewer of science texts for my district, are not made by the authors. To make the power points done grunt literally vomits up ENTIRE SENTENCES from the book, and uses a picture from the same page in the other column. The throw in some entrance and exit animations and sell it for a couple of hundred bucks.
So yes, anyone who uses one of those power points than reads it, verbatim, as their "lecture" should be called lazy at best.
Her point was teachers, and really anyone, should not read a PowerPoint to their audience. THIS IS UNIVERSALLY TRUE. You claim to be from a tech background. You should know this. Conference presentations where this occurs are universally the worst and those presenters are not allowed back.
Second, the fact that you think textbook provided PowerPoint are 1.excellent and 2. Made by experts, is literally laughable.
Textbooks themselves are written by experts but the power points, and it guarantee I have seen the vast majority as the reviewer of science texts for my district, are not made by the authors. To make the power points done grunt literally vomits up ENTIRE SENTENCES from the book, and uses a picture from the same page in the other column. The throw in some entrance and exit animations and sell it for a couple of hundred bucks.
So yes, anyone who uses one of those power points than reads it, verbatim, as their "lecture" should be called lazy at best.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
When I read your comment, I had to do my happy dance! I was like, "Yes! Someone actually gets where I'm coming from!"
To answer the OP - yes, if I see the majority of students looking bored, I think it is my fault.
There've been many times when the class looks bored. I stop, tell them "What's the matter, you look bored." I switch gears and take the lesson in another direction.
Another option: give your class short surveys once a week (or whenever it works for you). Ask students what they want to see more of. Of course, some students don't care and to that, some posters on here are correct - some won't be interested, no matter what.
I'll confess, when I was a student, there were times I looked positively bored, but I really was paying attention. Don't take those "bored" looks to heart all the time.
College is optional. These students don't even have to come never mind the thought of having to keep them entertained.
You're a college teacher..not K-12 where you have no choice here.
Let them be bored..it's not your job to entertain..not after they leave K-12.
The calibre of students in community college is not the same as that of a 4 year university.
Anyone can go to a CC.
Much of this nation performed well and was built by the work ethic and knowledge gained from and through Community Colleges.
Students go where they can afford to go, therefore, we should not issue any discredit and detracting commentary trying to put University of Community Colleges. We should be focused on making all credits Transferable, not supporting the University Madness, to disregard credits, simply because the University did not get to make money from the knowledge people gained by other educational facilities.
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I don't get this attitude. If we use the ancillaries provided for us, we're lazy but what did we pay for when we bought them? The ancillaries that go with the books are written by experts. Why would you think we wouldn't use them? If the ancillaries are written well and they stress what needs to be stressed, there is every reason to use them and it doesn't mean the teacher is lazy, though we do tend to be very busy so we welcome a good power point being handed to us. Mine didn't come from the book but few are written by me. Most are ones I got from friends or found on line that I edited to suit my purposes. I see no point to reinventing the wheel when there is so much excellent material out there to pick from and I find that I learn a thing or two myself by using someone else's power point. Other people have good ideas too. Why do you think teaching should be done in isolation while ignoring all the work other people have done to teach the same subject?
I attend office hours regularly to clear up anything I'm fuzzy on and sometimes I even get hints on what to focus on when studying for the exam. And I agree, I get the feeling that the professors enjoy it.
) and I cover it again with a lab or activity. If a teacher deals with students with only three learning styles and tries to cater to them equally, that means that 2/3 of the time you can expect that the teacher is not catering to you. It's rather simple math and logic. What works for you doesn't work for everyone and you're not the most important person in the room.
