I understand your dilemma, and often think the same thing...however, we
should remember that the (original) intent of higher education was not to
be able to go out and get a job, but to become an "educated" person.
I suppose this has changed, at least in the minds of our students and
much of the population - many (if not most) expect to learn what they will
need to get employed and make lots of money...perhaps this is what the
business end of higher education needs to advertise to maintain or
increase enrollment. I would like to think that higher education still
focuses on the original goal of trying to "educate" the population - to
become an "educated person"!!!
If someone wishes to learn ONLY those skills, tasks, or routines that are
relevant to their chosen discipline, then I suggest trade or professional
school for that training.
Contrary to what we are supposed to say, not all people are "college
material"...that is not to say they cannot become more than what they are,
but I find, teaching at the community college and even at a somewhat
respected local university (Hofstra), that many students are just not
ready, either intellectually or emotionally, for the rigors of serious
learning and discovery.
Is this harsh? If so, then so be it!
Abe
>
> Abe:
>
> You mention that "there are always exceptions." The opinions of most
> other responders (a decidedly biased sample, I suspect) is that there are
> no exceptions. The situation I'm grappling with
> is the one
> student you run into every two or three years who is now flunking their
> intermediate algebra for the third time, and they're enrolled in this
> class after taking the previous class three times and finally passing with
> a 0.7. Yet the student is receiving 3.0-4.0 in their other subject
> matters. What to do? Should they be precluded from having an AA and
> going on? The response of: "Go be a plumber" seems elitist to me.
>
>
> Helen Burn
> Highline Community College
> Seattle, WA
>
>
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