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I am confused by your questions, so I will clarify again.
The students are in a program that will qualify them to work in a variety of administrative, secretarial, medical and accounting positions. Most are recent immigrants or just out of high school, few have any college training. It is a 2 year part time program.
They will enter a job market and corporate environment that is tougher than it has been for a generation. Being average in their job hunt and in the job it self will no longer be enough. During the boom years employers were just happy to get a warm body in a job, now there is a surplus of workers and if you can find a job keeping one is a real challenge. The result is teachers need to crack the whip and prepare the students for the real world.
Most will end up in smaller companies, I suspect. Likely ones with relatively backwards employee relations and personnel policies.
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Originally Posted by virgode
[b]
I'm confused, is it you that's bored or the students? I just can't contribute anything of any meaning or argue with someone who can't seem to keep their stories straight.
I see America going into a real tough era where no one will be able to coast through life/work/school and live a nice middle class existence. Getting tougher on students is one of many steps that need to happen to get them ready for this new era.
If a student is playing with his phone, doing cross word puzzles, or has his/her head on the desk and appears to be asleep, then as a teacher he appears to me to not paying attention, and I may ask him/her what I just said. I do not care if he can pass the test, that is not everything. In the corporate world just finishing your basic assignments at the minimum level is not going to be enough. Why set such low standards in college?
Let me get this straight. Your tests are equivalent to the minimum level for a job? It looks like your tests aren't hard enough! Don't put your own inability to properly test off on your students. Your tests should be hard. They should have to pay attention to every class if they want to pass your tests. If someone can coast through your class without paying attention, then you are not making the class hard enough. Increase what you expect from your students with exams. Don't blame them because you test to the 'minimum' required in a real job.
enter a job market and corporate environment that is tougher than it has been for a generation. Being average in their job hunt and in the job it self will no longer be enough. During the boom years employers were just happy to get a warm body in a job, now there is a surplus of workers and if you can find a job keeping one is a real challenge. The result is teachers need to crack the whip and prepare the students for the real world.
Wrong. Your job is to present the course material in a clear manner and ensure that they know the material through valid testing measures. You are not their parent, you are a single course prof.
If people without knowledge of course materials are passing, that is your fault for setting the bar too low IN THE TESTING MATERIALS, not by browbeating them in class. Heck make it easy, base the tests on your lectures. The best profs I ever had never read from a textbook, the book was a supplement to the lecture. If all you're doing is regurgitating the text, really, you aren't even needed, as anyone could read the book and complete the course.
I am constantly learning about class room management by teaching my own classes and attending other college level courses. What an experience.
One frustration and challenge during the lecture part of the class is trying to determine if the students are engaged and paying attention. I can look for non verbal cues and of course test them but I want to be able to adjust my lecture based on continuing feedback from the students. Sometime no matter how hard I try to be interesting and informative I feel I am not connecting with a significant number of students. So I will look out into the class and pick out a student who appears distracted or bored and say, "tell the class what I just said" Usually they cant tell us and get red faced and angry and some students feel that I am being unfair.
I tell the students in the class that if they are not going to attend all class sessions or participate in class and pay attention, please drop the class immediately. What do you think?
I told an eight grade teacher if he wasn't so boring I wouldn't look so bored...
I sincerely doubt anyone would take a harassment complaint from a student seriously if it is about a professor asking too many material-related questions in a class.
What I found interesting about this thread is the large number of people who assumed that because some of my students did not pay attention and looked bored it was mostly my fault and I was a poor teacher. Of course it is always the teachers fault when they talk about the breakdown of our schools.
What I found interesting about this thread is the large number of people who assumed that because some of my students did not pay attention and looked bored it was mostly my fault and I was a poor teacher. Of course it is always the teachers fault when they talk about the breakdown of our schools.
Yes it is.
You know why, because that is your job! If a salesman is trying to close an account and the client is a complete a** demanding something unreasonable, not making the sale is still the fault of the salesman, not the potential customer. You want to prepare your students for the real world? Take responsibility for what happens in your classroom (even if it seems like it isn't your fault). Guess what? In the real world no one cares if it doesn't seem fair. Any failure in the classroom is the teacher's responsibility. They pay you to take on that responsibility.
The teacher only has part of the blame when students do not learn
Interesting logic but if society and government officials put all the blame on the teacher and not the students, poor parents and inefficient administers, nothing will improve. Everyone needs to take credit for the problem or nothing will get done.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hnsq
Yes it is.
You know why, because that is your job! If a salesman is trying to close an account and the client is a complete a** demanding something unreasonable, not making the sale is still the fault of the salesman, not the potential customer. You want to prepare your students for the real world? Take responsibility for what happens in your classroom (even if it seems like it isn't your fault). Guess what? In the real world no one cares if it doesn't seem fair. Any failure in the classroom is the teacher's responsibility. They pay you to take on that responsibility.
Interesting logic but if society and government officials put all the blame on the teacher and not the students, poor parents and inefficient administers, nothing will improve. Everyone needs to take credit for the problem or nothing will get done.
I agree, and if I were talking to a student I would say he/she needs to take personal responsibility for their education. That being said, I am talking to an educator who is making up excuses instead of working harder at being a teacher.
Interesting logic but if society and government officials put all the blame on the teacher and not the students, poor parents and inefficient administers, nothing will improve. Everyone needs to take credit for the problem or nothing will get done.
Yea, tell that 30 year old you will call his mommy or march him down to the office if he is not being a good boy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Randomstudent
I sincerely doubt anyone would take a harassment complaint from a student seriously if it is about a professor asking too many material-related questions in a class.
Eh, look at the title! He is stopping his lectures to harass students. That takes away from other students too who are trying. He needs to have a complaint against him.
obvious troll is obvious
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The teacher only has part of the blame when students do not learn
