The Community College
Most community colleges across the U.S., have open door policies, in which practically anyone could attend. Therefore, all types of students, come through the doors of these two-year institutions, some prepared, others, not so prepared. However, there is one type of student, who seems, not to have had any home training, or parenting. This student lacks basic social etiquette skills. This student is one, that I refer to as the “Undereducated Student” The Undereducated Student, is one who has had no parenting, and proper social interaction skills, and as a result, the community college classroom environment, has become one of incivility. However, this is really just one part of the problem. The other part is that many two-year college administrators, will either deny that such a student exist, or if the topic comes up for discussion, they become silent on the issue, and, some of them flat out do not want to talk about it. Why? It is very simple. Most two-year college administrators, have very limited teaching experience in a bonafide academic area, such as political science, history, biology, sociology, chemistry, physics, or some other serious area of study. Most two-year college administrators, acquire their Ph.D’s or Ed.D’s in education, because most of them could not get a Ph.D, in a pure academic area, therefore, they take the easy way out, because anyone who is, or has been in the academic arena, for a long period of time, knows that doctoral degrees in education are far less challenging than Ph.D’s, in hard core disciplines. Many of the two-year college administrators, are truly shallow, and are pseudo intellectuals at best, and, their perceptions of students are far from reality. These administrators, have a tendency to possess a romanticize reality of students. By no means, am I saying that all two-year college administrators fall within this category, however, far too many do. Nevertheless, the undereducated student, has become very common at the community college. This student comes to class unprepared, such as not having ,pencils, pens, paper, scan-trons for tests, and, oh yes, does not read the required materials for the class session, so that he or she might have a reasonable intellectual conversation, concerning the subject matter. Instead, the undereducated student, spends time in class, sending text messages, talking in the back of the class, sleeping, or possesses a bad attitude, toward the professor, because he or she really does not want to be in the classroom in environment. This student attends college, only because he or she has been socialized to do so, because the notion in America, is that college is meant for everyone, and, this is far from the truth. College is not meant for everyone, and, some people would do better in life, taking up a trade, instead of going the pure academic route. After teaching full-time, for about 25 years, at four different institutions of higher learning, I have seen a serious transformation among students, specifically at the community colleges. This metamorphosis, is one in which students no longer want to learn, but, instead, they want to be entertained, and they want high grades for mediocre work. It is the same thing that Peter Sacks discussed in his book, “Generation X Goes To College”. Sacks pointed out how students wanted to do the least among of work, while at the same time wanting the highest grades. He also pointed out how students, valued feelings over intellect, and, possessed no real value for systematic scientific research.
The solution to this problem, is that community college administrators, must first, recognize that the undereducated student exist. Secondly, community college administrators, faculty, and professional support staff, must come up with a plan to deal with such a student. My suggestion,would be to have an orientation class, for incoming students, which would consists of, but, not limited to classroom etiquette, so, that the student can act more civilized in the classroom, because even though online classes are becoming more popular, still there are a large pool of students, who do not like them. Also if one were to do research, he or she would find out that the drop rate for online classes, is almost double that, of the traditional college classroom setting. The “Undereducated Student”, must be dealt with in a positive way, if not the community colleges across this nation, will continue to become, nothing but glorified high schools.
The Bowtie Professor Speaks!
Tags: College Students, Two-Year Colleges
This entry was posted on Thursday, December 17th, 2009 at 6:13 pm and is filed under Politics And Education. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
True, true, and very true….These students (undereducated student ) that you are talking about do not need…computer classes…they need….teachers…real live talking persons…like you for example. They need one-on-one classes…not just for a few hours…for entire…year… and…with follow up… and I swear
you will see a birth of SUPER human enerECATSy help create the society we all desire…
This energy that has been locked up….for too long….will not come to the light of day…just by…hoping it…it takes a village to educate a child…..
Mrs Bush was a teacher….???….She was her husbands Kindergarden teacher…and still he has not getten into grade school, he is still stuck in 1st year of Kinder(German for CHILD) SCHOOL.
Thanks Prof. YECATS
I totally agree with this topic because it is true that their are “lazy” students that go to community colleges. But also if the administration were oght to do somthing, i think it would help for some but not many. And they probably are ignoring it for the wrong reasons like money. They do not want students to be afraid of the college and then don’t get an business. Call me dumb but isn’t that how the soiety works and runs? And then if the students don’t kno how to respect the professors then I believe that the professors should withdrawal them from class.
You are so right! My first semester at EastField was very pleasant because I attended school at night, so the following semester I was use to being around civilized adults, and to my shock the morning “high school” students are wild and out of control. They behave like savage animals, they interrupt professors, talk back and argue. I think Community Colleges in general should implement a MANDATORY orientation on proper school etiquette because many students are seriously lacking in that area..
Sadly but truly there are a lot of people that come to college just to get entertained. Just like this article calls them “the Undereducated Student.” I too have seen that many people just come to Eastfield just to pass time. When I came to Eastfield I thought it was going to be different from high school, but to my surprise I think it is worse. There are students who are loud and disrupt classes and have no respect towards their professors. Just like the article stated, “College is not meant for everybody.” I believe it’s true. If one cannot be serious towards their education then college is not for them. People just think that they need to come to college because that is the right thing to do. Now they need to follow through and get educated.
I’m currently attend two different college, my favorite professor is Dr. Jurhee whom teaches a Government class. He keeps you laughing while he teaching. He’s a very laid back professor.
I’ve been attending college for the last six years and I’ ve never enjoyed a class as much as Dr. Jurhee’s class. He put things where anyone with a sane mind can understand it. He is a straight foward professor. He does try to sugar coat anything to try and satisify anyone ego. It’s about the truth with him. It is what it is.
This is very true there are too many students that do not know how to behave in a college setting. But these issues begin at home, most parents today rely on public schools as their childs babysitter. therefore they will not teach their kids and morals and values. High schools should not allow this behavior either but frankly it is not the school systems responsibilty to deal with this. It is the parents fault that their children behave rudely in this type of setting. I see this problem every day I go to school, especially during the morning sessions. I do believe that should be some type of orientation in place to let incoming students know what is expected of them and there should be a policy againts this type of behavior. This policy should include a well defined system of reprocutions, and I think security and campus police should be involved in keeping people from congregating and making to much noise in the halls. I believe that many of those that do congrater in the halls do not attend school here and just come here to “socialize” and just use the unrestricted internet in the library to get on things like myspace and facebook, leaving less available computers for those of us that are students and really need those computers.
Dr. Jurhee is a very intelligent man. He speaks with knowledge and facts. He has traveled all over the world. He has taught all over the world. And what’s funny is he started out from Job Corp. He keeps things real at all times. He don’t care who you are or what postion you hold, he’s still going to let you know how he feels. So if your feeling are easy to be hurt you might not won’t to enroll in his class. One remark he made to the class assured me that you keep it real, wasthat he is a recovering, take his class and he’ll tell you the rest. He the type of teacher that has one of the largest class on campus, so if you listen and do the work that is required, then you’ll pass his class. May God bless us all! Thanks for a professor like Dr. Jurhee Gov. 1-2
Dr.Jurhree this is so true. I sit in some of the classes and listen to how the students first and foremost disrespect authority, let alone themselves. I just dont understand where ones morals and standards lie now days. There are alot of students that dont come in on the same level as well and should be in a bracket of there own. That is dealing with direct lecture, and basically holding their hands to guide them to the basic norms in civilization. People are so uncivilized, uneducated, and lack serious help. You hit this one right on the nose Dr.Jurhree, we just need more instructors like yourself, and mabye individuals could learn how to become civilized again and learn morals and standards as well as a way in life.