tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post1927195673834064480..comments2023-10-15T04:23:50.187-04:00Comments on College Misery: Kimmie Sez "Oh Why?"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-3243056487879466692013-10-16T17:28:28.100-04:002013-10-16T17:28:28.100-04:00Gary: This answers Kimmie's questions quite we...Gary: This answers Kimmie's questions quite well.<br /><br />Kimmie: Your questions are now getting harder. <br /><br />One reason why I am still deeply ashamed by what creampuff I can be with regard to grades is that I spent many years before tenure being mentored by creampuffs who were overly concerned with students' self-esteem and customer satisfaction, and whose new mantras are "Froderick Frankenstien from Fresnohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11653942918068535424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-29727185174710041942013-10-15T14:03:15.175-04:002013-10-15T14:03:15.175-04:00As Gary says, being in tenure track makes us all g...As Gary says, being in tenure track makes us all go easy on the students to be loved, well evaluated and, eventually, promoted. Now, I do not know if anyone else had the same experience but, after getting tenure it seems impossible to raise the standards to where they should be.<br />Have I been assimilated by the Borg?French Professeurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08062264385792788503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-82083187005906681592013-10-15T13:20:23.381-04:002013-10-15T13:20:23.381-04:00Why do I sometimes feel as if I'm teaching mid...Why do I sometimes feel as if I'm teaching middle school?<br />Because that's where their minds stopped growing.<br /><br />Why don't my students believe me when I tell them how much time a project will take?<br />Because they've rarely been held to a standard or consequences.<br /><br />Why am I not tougher on them?<br />Are you trying to be liked, and thus get good evaluations?Garyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00331203839723194193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-88814487528371049622013-10-15T12:24:24.808-04:002013-10-15T12:24:24.808-04:00My freshmen always tell me that their high school ...My freshmen always tell me that their high school teachers scared the shit out of them about college. "You won't get away with THAT in college," they report they are told.<br /><br />Then they get to my institution and they say, "College is fun. It's easy!"<br /><br />Now, who's fault can that be? Maybe I'm to blame, too. Worrisome.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-70653371243833969272013-10-15T11:53:12.043-04:002013-10-15T11:53:12.043-04:00Anyone remember when they said in high school, &qu...Anyone remember when they said in high school, "half of you won't make it through freshman year?" Worked for me! I went in scared.<br /><br />Do they still say that sort of thing now? I doubt it. CrayonEaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10126396989880932207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-73235063184369937222013-10-15T11:22:19.989-04:002013-10-15T11:22:19.989-04:00In my dreams I can hold them to 1978 standards. Ev...In my dreams I can hold them to 1978 standards. Even as a C student my first few years as an undergrad (except in my major) I did the reading and got my papers in on time. <br /><br />OTOH, my attendance sucked and my notes are embarrassing to look at now. At least I didn't make up excuses. (My grandparents all remained alive and well and I didn't own a car to break down.) I just was Middle-Aged and Morosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04046076243513948921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-6741406307788642032013-10-15T10:06:39.655-04:002013-10-15T10:06:39.655-04:00It's something of a variation on Upton Sinclai...It's something of a variation on Upton Sinclair's "It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it!"<br /><br />We are softer now than when we started for many different reasons. Not least of which is knowing that we are getting students who have been hammered by NCLB and come to us less prepared for college work than BurntChromehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06055976331443607569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-53614102661065952202013-10-15T08:30:03.838-04:002013-10-15T08:30:03.838-04:00Nicely put, Kimmie!
The standards! My God, the st...Nicely put, Kimmie!<br /><br />The standards! My God, the standards. I, too, see how I've changed. It makes me crazy sometimes. I know I'm letting them by with a bit less and it makes me crazy.<br /><br />But at the same time I'd feel odd being the only one in my department holding the line. And I like the folks in my department. But we've all softened. I want to have more courage.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com