Thread: What Teachers Make

Originally Posted by Whiskers

This post reminded me of a funny life-experience anecdote ...

I used to tutor math when I was in college. The majority of tutor-ees came from a local college that was known for their education major. Every single one that was an edcuation major would say the same line to me: " I just need this class to graduate. It's not like I am going to use it."

I would just shake my head and re-iterate the question 'you are an education major, right? Dont you think you might need to know this material?'

Blank looks were in abundance after that one.

btw ... I tutored Algebra to these people... for $75/hour.


Just thought I'd share.

LOL! (or should that be cry out loud?) I have the same experience almost daily. "Will this be in the exam?"

This is a blatant generalisation, but it seems to me that no-one wants to *learn* anymore, they simply want to maximise their mark, and they want you to tell them how - heaven forbid you send them packing to the library for some self-directed learning (that's not how you get good teaching evaluations).

God knows what they think is going to happen when they get a paid job: "Right Simpson. Our big client has a real tricky problem here, and we need to solve it. Not to worry though, they know the answer, and if you hound them enough they'll tell you what it is."....

James.

Originally Posted by drumana

Wow. That guy was so passionate about teaching. That was really powerful. Good to see.

His name is Taylor Mali (SP?). He was a teacher for a long time. He is now a slam poet. I have seen him live and bought a couple of his CD's. He is brilliant!

Originally Posted by Jimbo

This is a blatant generalisation, but it seems to me that no-one wants to *learn* anymore, they simply want to maximise their mark, and they want you to tell them how - heaven forbid you send them packing to the library for some self-directed learning (that's not how you get good teaching evaluations).

Although I generally agree, part of the problem is that many professors don't often care if you're really learning the subject. You can exercise your knowledge of the subject to them plenty, but if you happen to not know the exact words they want you to know in order to fill in bubble C, you're screwed. Too many (at least in my neck of the woods) expect verbatim regurgitation of lectures, with little actual thought going on. It's no wonder many of today's college students lack depth of intelligent thought.

I have found that I excel in classes where the professor actually challenges us intellectually and tests over actual knowledge rather than recitation. Does this world really want people who only know how to memorize something they're told or does it want people who can analyze and think? What's sad is that I wonder if our world actually wants the former- a bunch of sheeple.