My question to our president was "If I hold the bar and even raise the bar
and more students fail will this administration still see me as a good
instructor? If all the students don't grade me at the 'A level' on
evaluations because they are too immature to see that not receiving full
credit on a late paper is a consequence of their behavior, not mine will I
still be seen as a good instructor?" He lowered his head and didn't
respond. FAculty members have said they are feeling the same pressure and
frustrations, but no one has had the courage to speak up. I told them to be
prepared to pay my bills when renewal of contracts comes up in a few weeks!!!!
Hearing y'all tells me this is a national, not a local problem. It may take
awhile for our administrators to recognize it and realize there are NO quick
fixes.
At 11:20 PM 3/12/97 -0500, you wrote:
>At LSCC we have about a 60% attrition (withdraw, audit, D, or F) rate in
>developmental math and entry level "college" algebra. It used to be clsoe
>to 50%, but, due to state amndates, we had to lower our placement scores.
>To no one's surprise, attrition increased.
>
>Here's a little anecdote (or two) you can use with your VP or just for
>personal comfort. This semester I have two classes that are doing even
>worse than normal. In one pre-calculus class I gave an exam with a grade
>distribution of 4 C's, 3 D's and 9 F's. I came to class the next day
>returned the exams and worked each problem on the board. Then I lectured on
>the next section in the course. Then, for homework, I passed out an exam.
>It was the same exam, with ony the numbers changed. (Not a similar exam -
>the same exam. E.g. instead of a six foot tall woman walking away from a
>street light, it was a five foot tall woman.) I told them I would grad the
>exam and give them the average of the two exams. (Something I have NEVER
>done before, and never plan on doing again.) The results of the take home
>test were that there were 9 A's, 0 B's, 2 C's, 2 D's and 3 F's. Seven out
>of sixteen could not even get a B. And, yes, they could work together.
>
>A couple of days later i gave a test in Algebra (the first college credit
>course). The grade distribution was 3 A's, 1 B, 3 C's, 0 D's and 20 F's. I
>returned the tests and gave them the identical test to work over. I told
>them that if they turned in the test with no mistakes and also spent at
>least 12 hours in our Learning Center (a place on campus to study which is
>staffed with tutors) in the next 9 class days, they would be eligible for a
>re-test. 9 people ualified for the re-test.
>
>I am willing to take some responsibility for not being able to communicate
>and motivate. I am trying to figure out how I do a better job. But don't
>students have to also assume at least a little responsibility for failure,
>at least in these two cases?
>
>Oh well, I feel better. Thanks for listening!!
>
>At 08:42 AM 3/12/97 EST5EDT, you wrote:
>>Dear List
>>
>>Our Vice President is concerned about the failure and withdrawl rate in
>>developement studies and algebra. Ours is aprocahing 50 %. He has
>>directed us to investigate. We would really like to know if we are that
>>much out of line with other schools. Could you do a quick runthrough and
>>let us know about wherer you stand.
>>
>>By the way, the VP had to teach a class for a week. He's in English and
>>assigned a poem for homework. The next day, one person had read it, so
>>some of the pressure is off us. Perhaps you can take some more off.
>>
>>Peace,
>>
>>Don Cook
>>
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>
>
>
>Bret Taylor Lake-Sumter Community College Leesburg FL
>
>"It matters not the subject taught, nor all the books on all the shelves.
>What matters more, yes most of all, is what the teachers are themselves."
> John Wooden
>
>John 3: 3^3 + 3
>
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>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sharon Smith
Augusta Technical Institute
Math Instructor
Isa 43:1-3
email ssmith@augusta.tec.ga.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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