Some time past, I posted A Little Joy, whereby I elated when students did what students should do.
Today, I thanked them. It was our last class before exams, and I thanked this class for being motivated, dedicated, and most importantly, responsible students, as that one day turned into every class day. They all always came prepared. They all always came ready to learn. They all always produced results - some better than others, but results, nonetheless.
Though I appreciate the efforts of this group, their insightful essays, probing questions, and responsible nature, I now find myself lamenting what it means that I thanked them. Does it mean that they did something out of the ordinary, something courteous, even? When did investing in their education and behaving accordingly become out of the ordinary? When did it become something for which I feel the urge to thank them?
Cool questions. It does seem extreme to thank them for doing the right things, but that's how it is for me, too. Well done.
ReplyDeleteIn my marginal comments on paper drafts, I often find myself thanking those who actually use signal phrases (see my comments on Darla's post "Going Their Own Way"). It's something that I explicitly say, from early in the class, that I value, and hope they will learn to do in the course of the class, and remind them about often, but few of them actually do it, at least in the first draft.
ReplyDeleteOn the one hand, yes, I feel funny thanking them for simply following oft-repeated instructions (some of which even include the reminder that if they do the basic things I ask, I have more time to comment on the actual content of their papers). On the other hand, I think it makes sense to reinforce good behavior, perhaps all the more so when the majority of the group isn't behaving in the most productive manner. Good, engaged students can sometimes feel a bit beleaguered; it can't hurt to encourage them.
I have zero desire to thank my students in two classes this semester, and a great deal of desire to thank the kids in the third. Sadly, I think this has been reflected to some extent in the amount of preparation and energy I've devoted to each class. (I like you guys, I'll work harder.) On the other hand, the ones I want to thank are the ones in Ginormous Intro Class, so maybe that's okay.
ReplyDeleteWe all know that classes have a life of their own - they aren't simply the sum of the students and teacher. For some reason, one class can be unbearable, but the class the very next period with half of the same students can be wonderful. One thing that's clear, though, is that it takes only a few grumpy students to turn an otherwise good experience into a nightmare. And none of your guys did that.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a good idea to point this fact out to students - it might make them think about WHY some classes are better than others, and maybe try to change them in future.
In daily life, don't we thank people for normal courtesy and social behavior? I thank the bagger at the grocery store and the stranger who holds the elevator open at the hospital. I wave thanks to another driver who lets me merge. So it's not a form of grade inflation to thank courteous, prepared students.
ReplyDeleteThis semester, the day students handed in term papers, I took 5 minutes in class to read some clever titles and opening sentences, to thank the students for their efforts, and to ask whether any had slept the night before. A few raised their hands. We joked a little about all-nighters in college (I certainly did my share).
Few will earn better than a C on these papers, but it felt good to acknowledge them. The students and I shared some humanity.
If I got all spiritual on your asses, I'd mention the Dalai Lama's belief that the purpose in life is to be happy, and that the most effective way to be happy is to be kind to others and feel that connection. But that would spoil the raw cynicism of CM, so I won't go there.
It reminds me of what a mentor asked me in graduate school, 30 years ago, "When did competent become a compliment?"
ReplyDeleteTo answer your questions, the lunatics took over the asylum in the mid-to-late '80s, when demographics caused a downturn in the number of students attending college. This gave rise to the idea among university administrators of "students-as-customers," the evils of which college teachers have grappled with ever since. The ground was made fallow for this by three other developments, all from the '60s: (1) the advent of anonymous evaluations of teachers by students and the enthusiastic adoption by university administration of the numerical scores they generate; (2) the rise of grade inflation, a by-product of deferments from the draft for college attendance during the Vietnam conflict; (3) the abandonment of in loco parentis by nearly all American universities, which meant that students could run amok and faculty not have the right to say anything untoward about it. A parallel development in American society, which started around 1970 but became really noticeable in the '80s, around the same time "Baby on Board" stickers became common on cars, was the rise of “self esteem” in education, a symptom of which are rewards for participation: every kid gets a trophy, not just the winners. God help us all.
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