Charles Blow writes an article using personal anecdote and research statistics to make his point that college students are not feeling the 'love' from their professors, rather they are getting the cold shoulder. For college students, freshmen in particular, some guidance is necessary as they make one of the most important transitions of their life. Jumping from the relative ease of high school to the hectic hustle and bustle of college life may leave many students helpless and caught up in the crowd. Generally, they forget to pay as much attention as they would like to the very reason they are in college: studying. Now, it isn't the professor's job to keep track of how a student spends his/her time, but I would say that they definitely should have a conscience that is aware of student morale in class.
I feel that college professors should make an attempt to create an atmosphere, at least for freshman classes, that resemble partly what they had experienced in high school. This would be reminiscent of the more compact, personal interaction students generally have with high school teachers. Closer interactions would make the student feel less lost and more comfortable with college. Yes, this is hard to achieve as classes may be very large, but the effort itself makes huge strides in student morale. Relief that the professor is not a heartless vampire is a success in the life of most students.
The next step is actually developing the students. Each and every student is capable, that is why they are in college. Education, important as it is, doesn't necessarily have to be the only aspect in which the student has to feel accomplished. Simply being able to enjoy and live the experience of college, as well as maturing as a person are just as important. Knowing that professors, your elders, make an effort to actually talk to you or guide you through college, goes a long way in nurturing the young college student.
Example: Thanks to Mr.White, even my blog post starts out like a rhetorical analysis(that's a good thing;good habit).
I completely agreee that rather than professors taking responsibility for their students studying, professors need to maintain an atmosphere where that behavior is encouraged. Through making a welcoming atmosphere, teacbers enable to enjoy their college experience.
ReplyDeleteI agree that professors should create a atmosphere that allows students to be productive and comfortable while maturing and building character. I don't think that all high school environments are beneficial to students, but the beneficial ones should be recreated by professors.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that professors should create such an atmosphere. However I don't think that it should be kept throughout the year (only for, at most, one month). Students can then easily transition between high school and college life while still teaching them about the hardships of college.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this post because I agree that teachers that make an effort to get to know their students make their class that much more enjoyable. I also agree that students are oftentimes left in the background. Really good job!
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the atmosphere of a place will always decide the actions of the individuals in it. Your similar views of a high school like atmosphere could very easily change the way that college classrooms are operated and I hope that your thoughts soon become reality.
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