Okay, this midweek post may turn into a rant...I have just finished submitting grades for my winter term class, a class which supports my thinking that retirement from the classroom was a good decision...
I originally signed up to teach my class when I thought that I would probably be missing the classroom and it would be nice to go back for a three week term after a full summer and semester off. I was missing the classroom and looked forward to getting back to it for the month of January. After this January teaching experience I am turned off to ever going back to university teaching....
Allow me to begin with the good points. I had 5 students in all, two who were really terrific. They were interested, conscientious, engaged and attended all classes without absence. Pleasures to have as students.
Now, here we go...
I had one student, to that student's benefit, contacted me before the course began to let me know that the student had a week commitment for another academic program and would miss that week of classes. Could I accommodate this in some way? I agreed, we discussed the accommodations, deadlines, work to be done, etc. So the student is gone for a week of a three week class and writes to me that the other experience is keeping the student busier than first thought, and so, can I accept the work on another deadline? What can I say? So the student returns and hands in work. I then notice that night that it appears that the first assignment, due before departure, is not done. I ask the student the next day and, "Oh, I didn't hand it in, I didn't finish it." I think that if I am willing to accommodate, the student should certainly reciprocate with timely work and all work completed.
So, I have another student, with documented anxiety disorder and Asperger's Syndrome. This student comes to class the first week and then contracts the flu and goes home for the whole second week of class. I write to the student to drop the class, the student calls me, we work out a plan for the needed work. (Remember, I have already allowed another student to make things up and know that I would be taken to task for treating students differently.) So, the student returns to class and it is time to make a mask. We make masks out of plaster-craft which is a gauze material impregnated with plaster. You wet it and smooth it. I don't know how many times I went over and modeled how the material should be smoothed. Never got it! Never got it either when I kept correcting and instructed how to hold the paint brush closer to the brush end and not at the other end. At least, half a dozen times, I looked over, saw the student, unfocused, using the brush as I instructed him not to. So, now I am teaching how to hold a paint brush to someone who doesn't have the focus to copy one simple instruction.
And, now, the real kicker! I have a student who did not give me documentation as to a learning disability, but, who is clearly in need of modified instruction. I could say so much about how it appears that this student has never been allowed to do or think for self. It even appears that the student may have been emotionally and psychologically brutalized for ever trying to think for self. I certainly think that this student has absolutely no idea what I talked about for three weeks. Anyway, when the student is done painting the mask I ask the student to go clean the paint out of the Tupperware and brush. Student goes to the sink and I look over in a bit, hear water running, but it doesn't seem like anything is getting done. I look again in a bit and same thing. So I walk over, water is running, Tupperware is on counter and this conversation ensues. "J (not the student's real name), you need to just take the Tupperware, put it under the water and sponge it out." Student holds up a sponge and says, "The sponge is hard." I take the sponge, "You need to put it under the water and it will soften up." I am teaching a university student how to use a sponge!!!!!!!
I would like to say that I like all of the students and for the most part I really don't think it's their fault that they are the way they are. But, why are these people here? I feel badly, but, I no longer have the capacity for this and am done. And no longer have the capacity for students who ask for accommodation and then don't show the level of commitment that should be returned. I'm done!!!
The university is not for everyone!!!
I will post again on Sunday, as always.
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