Re: Failure and reform (fwd)
Laura Petersen (petersen@LCSC.EDU)
Sun, 1 Dec 1996 10:45:30 -0800
>I appreciate your thoughful reply, Laura, I teach at a Community College and
>there is presure, albeit subtle to pass students. For instance division head
>says you have too many "non-productive grades" meaning grades below C which is
>the passing grade for developmental studies. There is pressure on division
>heads by higher up admistrators who are hasseled by state legislators who want
>to see a return on tax money. Yet I have students who were special ed in high
>school, or straight D students and so on. And we are asked to give these
>students skills in 16 weeks that they didn't achieve in 12 years of public
>schooling.
>
>Karen
>
>
>> Your success will be limited by your
>>contact time with students and your support system for students such as
>>tutors, math labs, testing centers etc. You make your expectations as
>>clear as possible and you communicate those expectations in multiple ways
>>and you repeat them. You also clearly communicate the consequences for
>>not meeting the expectations. You encourage your students as much as you
>>can but you don't make their problems your problem. And then you leave it
>>up to them. When they fail -- you encourage them to try again. You
>>revisit your instruction to see if you you can learn anything from these
>>failures. But you let them fail and you do not lower your standards.
>>Reform in itself is not going to eliminate failure. Failure in itself
>>will not reform students.
>>
>>I think about 60% of my students will pass this semester; it seems to be
>>the best that they and I can manage.
>>
>>--Laura
>>
>>-------------------------------------------------------------
>>Laura Petersen petersen@lcsc.edu
>>
>>Division of Natural Sciences PHONE 208-799-2484
>>Lewis-Clark State College FAX 208-799-2064
>>500 8th Avenue
>>Lewiston ID 83501-2698 USA
>>-------------------------------------------------------------
>