I add another nickel making it 15 cents.
Keep in mind we were the ones who wanted to go on. Our fellow students (who
are probably making far more money than we) wanted to "get through" We
associated with those like us and tend to remember our experiences through a
hazy reconstructed past. I don't think students have changed all that much
in the last 30 years as long as we compare equal institutions. Anyway who
did their undergraduate and graduate work at Yale and Harvard might have
gone to school with a different kind of student than those who are now
attending Dying Ivy State College for the Marginally Prepared. I went to
state schools for both BA and PHD (differnt states) and was thoroughly
unimpressed with most of my fellow students. Of course, at that age I was
thoroughly unimpressed with everyone.
>From: Deborah Briihl <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: "TIPS" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: RE: Student goals, expectations
>Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2001 15:02:58 -0500
>
>Hey - let's make it 10 cents. Perhaps the reason _why_ we made it to that
>Doc. level school was because we did buy the book, speak in class, be
>motivated, take classes because our advisors said to, etc. I remember going
>to college and being shocked that 3 hours of studying for a test did not
>mean I was going to get an A (or, for that matter, pass). I didn't study
>very much in high school - I really don't remember even reading the book
>that often. I had to change that behavior - but I didn't change it until
>near the end of my freshman year when I decided that I wanted to go
>overseas to study and had to bring up my grades to do that. I was also
>lucky enough to be roomed with someone who wanted to be premed and worked
>hard to get to med. school, so she didn't bother my studying (although I'm
>sure I bothered hers at times!).
>The school attitude also helped. It was small, not frats or sororities, and
>almost everyone lived on campus. The classrooms were constantly open,
>including the labs, until late at night. I remember most of the class
>getting together after dinner, radio playing, working in the lab. The
>seniors also could ask for a study desk in the buildings (not just the
>library) so we had a special place to study besides our room. Here, we
>cannot leave a single classroom unlocked and I don't think that sends the
>right message.
>
>At 10:22 AM 2/28/01 -0500, H. Gelpi wrote:
>>Had to add my 5 cents
>>
>>Responding to the reality that we were probably not perfect students
>>either.
>>I completely remember playing the "do the minimum and maintain the GPA"
>>game
>>in college. Even in grad school, while juggling work, school, and
>>personal
>>life, there were textbooks and readings I did not completely keep up with,
>>etc. I guess the point is I understand that we may not be that different
>>from today's students.
>>
>>However, The big (and often shocking) difference for me is this. When I
>>attended classes, no matter how I felt about the class, I had the sense to
>>present myself to the instructor as a highly motivated and dedicated
>>student, regardless of my interest level or occasional lack of
>>preparation.
>>Also, if I hadn't properly prepared for a class, for whatever the reason,
>>I
>>tried to bring as little attention to that as possible.
>>
>>On the other hand, many of my students proudly make statements that I
>>would
>>have considered (and still do) academic suicide. They often make it known
>>that your class is not even close to a priority. And if that's not bad
>>enough, they inform you that they have no intention of reading the book,
>>or
>>even buying it. To make it worse, this lack of preparation does not
>>prevent
>>them from asking uninformed and irrelevant questions.
>>
>>Maybe college was more intimidating to me. Maybe it was good manners. I
>>actually recall as a 1st or 2nd grader when we were obligated to sit "eyes
>>up and at ready" with pen and paper on desk before our teacher entered the
>>class. Was I dreaming?
>
>Deb
>
>Dr. Deborah S. Briihl
>Dept. of Psychology and Counseling
>Valdosta State University
>Valdosta, GA 31698
>(229) 333-5994
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>http://chiron.valdosta.edu/dbriihl/
>
>Well I know these voices must be my soul...
>Rhyme and Reason - DMB
>
Harry Avis Ph.D.
Sierra College
Rocklin, CA 95677
Life is opinion - Plato
There is nothing that is good or bad, but that thinking makes it so -
Shakespeare
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