Readers of this blog will know that I am an adjunct instructor at our local community college. I teach Introduction to Psychology and Abnormal Psychology. Today, I gave each class an exam.
After the last test I read my Intro class the riot act:
The difference between this class and my class from last semester is startling. Nearly half of you flunked this exam whereas no one made lower than a C last semester.
Both classes have the same instructor, the same text, the same lectures including the same lame jokes. The only difference I can see between the two semesters is you (the students).
This semester’s students are different from my previous classes in that I have very few non-traditional students. Nearly all are right out of high school; this is their first semester in college.
Just to show I’m not a completely unreasonable guy, I spent the rest of that hour teaching basic study skills.
I’m eager to see if their grades have improved on today’s exam.
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I used to think it was me when they underperformed. But it’s not me, it’s them.
This key insight is one that dawned on me in a semester when I had back to back classes. Both got the exact same lectures, book, exams and yes, lame jokes. But one performed significantly better than the other.
Classes are often like kids, each of them is unique. Some grow up to be doctors and counselors, some grow up to be bums.
I don’t know if it will make you feel any better but I am teaching a college class several hundred miles from you and the traditional aged students in my class scored the same on a mid-term I gave recently. And I even let them use notes!
Here’s the question that those who live in Tulsa will be asking (or would if they read my blog): how many of these just-out-of-high-school students are enrolled at TCC because of the new tuition breaks that went into effect this fall?
Basically, anyone who graduates from a Tulsa county high school with a “C” average (I think the scholarship requires a 2.3 on a 4.0 scale) gets free tuition.
I have no idea whether any or all of my students are on that scholarship. One hypothesis is that many unmotivated students will enroll (perhaps just to keep parents happy) and bring down the overall average.
Surely someone will be tracking and studying this to see if there is a correlation over the next few years.
I feel like an old curmudgeon saying this, but education is so accessible in our country, and countless students (esp the traditional ones) don’t realize what a gift it is to have the opportunity.
Bowden, I can feel your frustration, and as a student myself, I’m also very aware of the struggle to succeed.
Success is usually its own best sales pitch. I think its fair to say that your class either has a problem with aptitude, or a problem with interest.
Its unlikely that high school leavers are sophisticated enough to create either of those problems themselves… which suggests its an infrastructure problem.
1. Don’t punish the students. Maintain your academic standards, but give them as much assistance as your hours and wage allow. Its not their fault… even if it is their responsibility.
2. Be preparered to ask the hard questions of your students. Do they want to be there? Do they want to succeed? Why do they believe they aren’t succeeding?
Remember that you are a human being first, and an academic instructor second.
High school leavers are very vulnerable to social desirability pressures, and not very aware of their own motivitional processes, or their freedom to choose outside cultural and social pressure.
You can be part of the problem, or part of the solution.
Tim,
Thanks for the encouragement and advice. I hope I’m part of the solution.
Bowden, my words were pretty direct and challenging, and your someone with status and authority… in many ways you would have had a right to be offended by my attitude.
The fact that you didn’t is another example of your character integrity and insight. I have no doubt that you will be part of the solution.
I wish that there was some way to help institutions remember the human aspect of their work. It would prevent these problems from occuring!