tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27946614.post2282985283810098073..comments2024-03-07T14:43:21.888-08:00Comments on Whatever I want to write about: Every student is way above average. Exceptional!Sriram Khéhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06907731254833435446noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27946614.post-71079875932252635352014-05-18T10:33:58.621-07:002014-05-18T10:33:58.621-07:00From a short commentary in "Academe":
H...From a short commentary in "Academe":<br /><br />How did this generation of students, and their parents, come about? Changing views on grading and parenting are contributing factors, but there are others as well, including consumerism. The concept of the student as a consumer, which has become increasingly widespread in higher education, leads students to believe that their schools owe them something, allows students to blame someone else for their failures, and reinforces what students have learned through shopping: that the customer is always right.<br /><br />http://aaup.org/article/student-incivility-intimidation-and-entitlement-academia#.U3jt1IWeaf4<br />Sriram Khéhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06724218458246880137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27946614.post-81312915284872244672014-05-18T07:48:18.572-07:002014-05-18T07:48:18.572-07:00I agree with your comments that maybe most 19-year...I agree with your comments that maybe most 19-year olds aren't quite interested in the learning that we older adults seem to enjoy. Why then do we force the high school grads to college? If the "I hate college" is such an open secret, then isn't it sheer insanity to keep forcing students and their families (and taxpayers) to spend precious resources on "higher education"????<br />As much as we (society, not the three of us!!!) put a positive spin on education, the implicit reality is that for the most part we deal with higher education (and even high school) as nothing more than job-prep programs. If only we can openly admit to this and cut all the highfalutin talk.Sriram Khéhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06724218458246880137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27946614.post-33831049706459347562014-05-16T20:30:46.485-07:002014-05-16T20:30:46.485-07:00Grade inflation? Never! I am constantly amazed a...Grade inflation? Never! I am constantly amazed at the grade's my Children recv given there poor gramatical skills, and spelling. Yes, an exaggeration, but it seems that high school teachers care only about content, not about writing, when grading essays and papers.<br /><br />Sometimes I think college is wasted on young adults. I would be a vastly different student now than I was 25 years ago. I would demand more, blindly accept less, and discuss so much more. I'd choose Sriram's oral exam over a paper every time. Adults can draw conclusions and make connnections youth cannot. It is a pity your students do not see the value in learning, that they don't realize they are becoming better, more informed citizens. Perhaps if they saw a monetary reward for learning, not just for grades. Of course, snacks would help.<br /><br />When my children were in elementary school, I ran a club for gifted students. Each month, they chose a country, and I assigned topics - government, business, daily life, etc. I always researched food and prepared a native dish for the students to eat. The students were expected to research their topic to share with the group. I like to think they learned something about countries with which they were unfamiliar, but I know they enjoyed the learning. I wish I could capture that for them forever.Anne in Salemnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27946614.post-35826311206294113672014-05-16T14:30:37.229-07:002014-05-16T14:30:37.229-07:00Yes, a very different tune ... an electrical engin...Yes, a very different tune ... an electrical engineering tune ... muahahaha ;)<br /><br />Jokes aside, I loved learning, and I continue to love learning. My hassle with the undergrad program was that I was trapped in the wrong program. If it had been the US, I would have changed majors ... but, the system in India was (and is) different. <br /><br />I don't care about lots of other things in life. Like sports. I don't go to watch sports and then complain. If I were forced to, you can bet that I will complain like how students complain about my class--especially if I am not being fed tasty snacks ;)Sriram Khéhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06724218458246880137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27946614.post-9724821847843586642014-05-16T07:35:15.479-07:002014-05-16T07:35:15.479-07:00Oh come on - when you were a student, you sang a d...Oh come on - when you were a student, you sang a different tune :):):):)<br /><br />Just kidding ....Rameshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11782192840421019943noreply@blogger.com