For those of you in the teaching world, this article has garnered a good deal of attention. If you haven't read it already, it's a real eye-opener and a sadly true indictment. I appreciate it for its frank opinion, but I also like how Professor X counts himself in the same situation as his students; he avoids the usual snark. And it's also perhaps a sad indicator that he has to use an alias.
As a former idealist, I have come almost full circle in a few years of two-year college teaching (about 10, all told): the best thing that can happen to some students is to fail a course or two, or be put on academic probation. I can't begin to tell you of the utter inability I saw this spring--not always lack of motivation, just inability.
But I can type my complaints and be satisfied, or I can do something like I'm doing this fall, which is teach our college success course--how to study more efficiently, determine a major, get to know your teachers, figure out your course of study, et al. So I'm still an idealist, in some sense.
I don't think motivation alone can guarantee a shining GPA, but with some, it's amazing how sheer tenacity can mean the difference between passing and failing. This article, to me, focuses on ability more than motivation, and I've always wondered how you determine the difference between the two, especially for a first-generation college student or someone who's back after a few semesters out--the "at-risk" group.
1 comment:
I'll read that article when I have the chance; sounds fascinating. And I too am coming to the realization that college isn't for everyone. What's funny is that it's sold as an American socioeconomic panacea...but this medicine sometimes kills the patient.
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