Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Rant

For those of you who don't know, I'm an Associate Dean at a for-profit career college.

There, I laid it out, you all can gasp over the fact that I work for a 1) for-profit, 2) career college.  Sadly, they've gotten a bad rap, mostly because we threaten the hell out of the State Colleges/Universities.  But that's a rant for another day.

Oh, I suppose I should tell you to look at the disclaimer on the right side of the page that says that I don't speak for my employer.

As an Associate Dean, I carry a full teaching load (if you ask my hubby or kids, they might tell you it's more than a full teaching load - it's more like working two full-time jobs) in addition to my administrative duties.   One of the things that drives me absolutely bat shit is students who put ZERO effort into their education.

School's expensive, especially a specialized school like ours, though we haven't seen nearly the tuition hikes that the State schools have.  We sat down once and figured that for every F a student earns, it costs them approximately $1,800 in additional tuition.

As I was entering my grades tonight, I was dismayed to see that I have four morning students and one evening student who have earned 'F's.  FIVE!  Know what the common denominators were? 

Attendance and failure to turn in work (funny, how if you don't come to class, you don't know what the assignments are and since I don't accept late work, if you're absent the day it's due you're screwed).

Every. Single. Student who failed did so because they didn't come to class or turn in their work.

That's not to say that the students who do attend are being "given" grades - they earn every point they get.  I am not an easy teacher; I have high expectations and I hold them to it.  These students are going to be medical assistants and healthcare administrators who have a good chance of giving care to me, my family, or my friends in the future.  I want them, at minimum, to be competent.

All I can say is it's a damn shame when the instructor puts more work into the students' education than the students do.

4 comments:

Mr. Daddy said...

No Gasp here....:o) I think that education much like spandex is a privilege not a right. It is probably safe to say that out of the five, all or the biggest share are either going on Mommy and Daddies dime or some tax payer subsidized grant. And don't care or realize that the extra $1800. is the price of their lack of responsibility to hold themselves to a standard of excellence. Maybe there should be more for profit career college's and not so much government subsidized crap, and kids being held accountable and we would see a better class of citizens coming up in our wake, instead of the entitlement minded bozos that are being turn out by the hordes from our ivy league socialite clubs that are so prevalent in society today.... Sorry had my own little mini rant :o) keep on being hard on the little B@st@rds, it builds character...:o)

"There is only one Education, and it has only one goal: the freedom of the mind. Anything that needs an adjective, be it civics education, or socialist education, or Christian education, or whatever-you-like education, is not education, and it has some different goal. The very existence of modified "educations" is testimony to the fact that their proponents cannot bring about what they want in a mind that is free. An "education" that cannot do its work in a free mind, and so must "teach" by homily and precept in the service of these feelings and attitudes and beliefs rather than those, is pure and unmistakable tyranny". ~Richard Mitchell, The Underground Grammarian, September 1982

Claire Boyles said...

So with you on this, as my class at UNC winds up. Honestly, I'm always surprised at how little some my future teachers are willing to do to further their own educations. If I have to hear one more time that someone has straight As in every class but mine as their main argument for why I should give them one as well, I think I might be sick. Hang in there!

Rachel said...

You got my husband going, LOL!

I am so sorry for those dummies who don't put in the effort. My college degree was HARD EARNED. I mean, I took a forced elective of music appreciation; and if a DEAF student can ace that, there are no excuses.

I know you care. And I'm glad you're putting that effort in because you're exactly right - these are the ones responsible for caring for your medical needs someday.

Rachel said...

And now I just want to go smack those five upside the head...