A Day of Concern and Contrast

While ultimately a worthwhile detour in my teaching career, I am teaching a class this semester that has made me question and evaluate all of my teaching practices. In nearly ten years of collegiate instruction, I have never, ever had a collection of students this pathetic. Nearly half of this class received Fs at the midterm. The students do not come to class, do not turn in assignments at all or on time, never come to class prepared, do not listen, cannot follow instructions, fail every reading quiz, cannot perform basic / competent research, in some cases cannot write simple sentences, have an astonishing level of entitlement, and generally are not prepared for college – ultimately they are wasting their time and my time.

At some point it is on the students to learn and perform, so on one level I have given up trying (I still hold class, still give reading quizzes, the assignments will still be required and graded, I go over the course material – I am not proud of this development for the final three weeks of class, but I have lost energy and spent significant time in reflection, planning and worry regarding these students and I am just waiting for class to end). There were three students, THREE, that I thought I was reaching and who were producing above-average college work and kept me interested in class, but even these three completely under-performed on the major assignment due today. So, I am giving as much attention and respect to the class as the students have for the remainder of the semester.

I have tried everything, been nice, been mean, lectured, group discussion, group activities, small group discussion, small group activities, watched videos, asked questions, critiqued contemporary rhetoric, connected topics to their lives after school, read popular media about vampires and reality television, had one-on-one meetings – throwing everything I can at them to see what works, see what sticks. Oh, there were a few days I was satisfied with their participation and comprehension, but most days I walked out of the classroom with slumped shoulders and a befuddled brain.

Today was no exception. After the students complained about how short a time I had given them to complete the assignment due today, I made the classic mistake of adjusting the schedule and gave the class an additional four days (weekend included) to complete the assignment, believing this would produce better work (my initial review of the assignments this evening: uninspired, underdeveloped, and rushed assignments that might average out to a C-minus for the class). Other than one or two students, giving a class more time only means one thing: the student will procrastinate longer and still rush to complete the assignment. Fuck! I knew this and am so mad at myself for not relying on my classroom experience. Instead, I bargained with the students, not often a good idea!

I received two emails this morning from students requesting extensions on the assignment due today (the most-important assignment of the year with the highest single point value toward their grade). Here are excerpts from my replies to these students:

I have already given you one extension, and that is all each student is provided. You have been aware of this assignment for over two weeks, so there is no reason you should not be prepared. There will be no extension, and I am astounded by your request.

You have had two weeks to complete the assignment, had your outline reviewed by a classmate a week ago, although you never sent a draft to me (which is another point deduction). So why are you not ready to go? Did you know this yesterday? Why did you not talk to me about this in-person, in class? This is not something that should be handled via email the day an assignment is due. As I said at the midterm, you have choices in college, so the choice is yours.

Thankfully, this maddening day in the classroom was wiped away by the other classroom I have led this semester (thankfully a mere hour later). I work with a group of 25 first-year students that compose an advisory council that has met seven times this semester; providing feedback on topics, assignments, the classroom environment for a first year seminar required by my college (1800 students first semester students, in 80 small group sections). This classroom workshop has been phenomenal. These students are so engaged on campus and in the classroom. This was a volunteer council and I had nearly full attendance at every meeting. They completed assignments and readings outside of class, provided written and oral communication, and are currently producing an amazing welcome video to the incoming class of 2012 to be debuted at a Welcome Event in the Fall.

These students are smart, funny, insightful, imaginative, courteous, prepared, conscientious – the exact opposite of my class discussed above. I leave every meeting with a smile and a thousand ideas for curriculum development, new topics and assignments, and a sense of accomplishment and pride (in them and myself).

Is this what is ultimately bothering me about this semester’s other classroom experience? My identity is so tied to being a teacher and the pangs of doubt and failure are weighing me down? Is it all really just about me? I cannot translate my area of interest and passion to these students, skills that will be essential throughout college and their lives afterwards? No doubt, some of this doubt is about my identity as a teacher.

But there is a much bigger concern, has the systemic paring down and dismantling of public education produced this rotten fruit? Has the everyone-gets-a-ribbon culture of no accountability and standards gutted a generation?  Has the lack of real writing in high school and teaching-to-the-test created students incapable of critical thinking?  The first-year seminar referenced above was started by a directive from our provost after studies clearly demonstrated that current first-year students at my university had a significant gap in knowledge that is essential for college success. [And the 25 students participating in the council this semester were the best students from the fall, not a representative sample of the 1800 students in the course]  And my own class this semester has 80 percent, 4 out of 5 students, that are not prepared and not capable of college success – I teach an introductory course this semester, while the workload and requirements are significant, the material is not. 30 percent of the class was failing last week (all 5 of these students have petitioned the department to withdraw from the class as it is now too late to drop, wasting three-fourths of a semester). And I don’t think this is one of those back-in-my-day moments.

So, while I am thankful for one amazing classroom this semester, I loathe another. And I am worried about what is happening to our educational system. Thanks for letting me vent.