Professor shares secrets for top grades

Washington Times ^ | February 21, 2003 | Lou Marano, UPI

[Cincinatus' Wife]

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Students arrive at colleges and universities with hardly any idea of what's expected of them and are shocked to find that they lack the writing and study skills to get top grades, a Canadian professor said.

[visagoth]

...because the students were unprepared for higher learning, and I was tired of remedial instruction...

There is a load of truth in that statetment. I am finding that we are spending most of our time at the community college teaching students the things they should have learned while in high school. Generally, they are arriving to college without the slightest notion of what proper study skills are and they can not write a complete sentence to save their lives.

The word "higher" in higher education has increasingly been reduced to less than higher; to the lowering of standards, to grade inflation, and lower expectations. They have all conspired to the narrowing of what we mean by education and education: getting a degree; getting a piece of paper as opposed to getting an education. And as far as the entitlements students expect (I guess they get this notion from K-12) I had a student who was getting a "D+" in class. Near the end of the course he wanted to know what he could do to get 'extra credit to bring his grade up'. EXTRA CREDIT?!?! During the semester he turned in 1 page papers with text paraphrased off the internet (which I failed him on), all of his work was late by at least a day, and he showed up to class late almost daily.

He thought he was owed another chance (which would lead to pleas for yet another and another and we would pass this kid to the next instructor). Well I don't play that game of making someones kid someone else's problem.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

There are millions of stories that will back this up. Public school instruction started to decay about 40 years ago. For starters, Schools of Education need to go.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

A functionally illiterate generation cannot lead. It will serve. Government education cannot be reformed. It is a hopeless mess. Not enough people care and it would take a massive mobilization of citizens to reform the system. At the same time, America is allowing millions of uneducated illegal aliens to flood into the country. That is simply adding to the pool of ignorance.

[happygrl]

For starters, Schools of Education need to go.

Oh my gosh, I cannot begin to tell you of the "gimicks" that my teacher friends substitute for knowledge.

They know all these tricks but nothing about content, and as a result, have nothing of interest to convey to their students.

ARRRRRRRGHH

[Jason_b]

Bernie Gaidosch is fighting Socialism. The Ruling Elite (TRE) want large masses of rightless and easily manipulable people to be cogs in the one world order and to get themselves deeply into debt.

[SSN558]

My experience is that about 10% of any college level class you teach will flunk out, and you can spot the ones that will fail within the first week. Consequently, you bend over backwards trying to motivate those marginal students that are barely going to earn a C. Inevitability those students that get D's or worse are going to complain to the Dean that your teaching skills are below par.

I had one that didn't show up for most of the lectures, didn't do any of the homework, and then nearly hyperventilated during the midterm exam. He complained to the dean that my lectures were worthless. I responded to the dean, " how would he know that my lectures were worthless since he was never there." The dean responded, "don't worry about it he flunked all my classes too."

I learned after that and kept roll, sort of a CYA strategy. It is a shame to have to take roll call in a senior level engineering course, I equate it to treating the students like children in grade school. You got do what you got to do. That class was audited by ABET as a result of the complaint. I survived.

What is suprising is that a student can make it all the way to the senior level without basic math and writing skills. It catches up to them and they have wasted three years of their lives. It takes a large number of teachers passing on without merit, to get a student to this point. In the long run they harm the student and the education process, just to avoid conflict.

Anyone old enough to remember when a high school diploma was worth something can relate. Today a high school diploma is a joke, they are worthless. The same thing is happening to higher education.

[1john2 3and4]

http://www.profsecrets.net/index.html hope it works....now, where do i go for my "cut"?

[Cvengr]

"...recommends a private school, despite their expense, because test-taking skills and essay writing are almost always taught there. "

Soemthing rubs me the wrong way with this approach. It's not an issue of public or private schools,...and I favor private schools from higher criterion of excellence,....but the isues being discussed are closer to literacy, illeteracy, and any student simply giving a damn.

I don't attribute the diference in ability to 'test-taking skills'. I find the test scores are remarkably higher if one simply knows and has learnt the subject.

[Cvengr]

Soemthing=Something

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

1. Some people are allowed into college and they should not be there.

2. Reading and writing are not essential in a visual media culture. The non reader and writer of today is tomorrows useful serf.

3. Corruption is probably as prevalent in academia as in the rest of society. The college reflects the rest of society.

[Moonman62]

Students arrive at colleges and universities with hardly any idea of what's expected of them and are shocked to find that they lack the writing and study skills to get top grades, a Canadian professor said.

In liberal (most of them) American universities all you need to be prepared for is Womyn's studies, African studies, and "Peace" protests.

[KC_for_Freedom]

To your list I would add that which you imply,
4. Only a few need to know, and they will do the work that makes money, the rest can ride on their sholders.

[buccaneer81]

In states like Ohio, there are mandated proficiency tests at certain grade levels. The jobs of teachers and administrators often hinge on the scores. The result? The curriculum teaches for the test. Property values in my area often are decided by these test scores.

[twyn1]

Have you had much experience with home-schooled students at the college level ? I ask because my son, who was homeschooled from the 8th grade, is now in Community College and seems to be handling his courses well (Dean's List, 3.95 GPA) -- Although we are what could be called "relaxed" homeschoolers (no strict schedule, you can do "school" wherever/whenever you're comfortable, and we worked until mastery with minimal emphasis on tests), we did focus on strengthening basic skills, esp. grammar & writing (even diagramming sentences) and he actually enjoyed going on to advanced math. I am not overly surprised that he is doing well academically, but I was a little worried about his keeping to a schedule and staying oraganized. Any thoughts ?

[Live free or die]

bumpfor those of us still in college

[independentmind]

Gaidosch said students could acquire academic skills from his manuals in two weeks.

I seriously doubt this. Looking back at my high school education, I am very grateful for the strong emphasis on writing and the number of required English classes. Writing is an acquired skill, and will go rusty if not practiced frequently. Here are my suggestions:

1) a thorough knowledge of grammar-- It may be boring, but it is essential. (amd I fully acknowledge that I continue to make a few errors here.)

2) a love of reading--You cannot write well, if you don't read. Habits that discourage reading, like listening to some kinds of music and watching too much television, should be discouraged.

3) regular writing assignments in school--and graded by the kind of teachers I had. Nothing like red all over a paper to highlight errors.

The above may not produce a Shakespeare, but should provide most college students with the basic writing skills they will need in the future.

[bobg]

We need a combination of home school and school. We need to stop blaming teachers and schools, but put the blame on parents who do not know how to prepare kids for school.

We taught our boys phonics back in the 60's before they started to school. Now their children are doing the same. All our grandkids are good students, and just one example illustrates. Wesley, in first grade, could read before kindergarten, and now has been tested and reads with comprehension on the fourth grade level. Teacher said he could probably handle higher grades since the fourth grade was very easy for him.

During the summer months their mother, each day, gives each child 10 vocabulary words and 5 to 10 math problems. The two older boys were having so much fun that the 2 year old wanted to "play too".

I could tell similar stories about the other kids, but the reason for this reply is to advise that we need courses in school on parenting so that new parents can prepare their kids for school, instead of letting the TV raise them.

WE cannot wait until the school years, much less high school.

[error99]

I think we all (parents, schools, colleges) fail so miserably at teaching our children and students "how to learn". I have always thought a required course or series of courses specificially designed to teach these learning skill would be quite beneficial. But then, what the hell do I know...

[UCFRoadWarrior]

I work for a community college (non-teaching) and its a lot of things.....students not prepared, teachers who rather teach far-left ideas than subject matter, excess of admininstration..etc

Our school system is a mess..and probably wont get better until some drastic changes are made

Some things I like to see change are:

- End of compulsory education: You can't make a kid learn if it doesn't want to be there. Society ends up dealing w kids who already do not want to go to school (prison)....this really wouldnt change for the worse (maybe for the better) the current situation. It sure would save money that would normally be wasted on disruptive kids who shouldnt be in school anyway

- Eliminate administration and non-teaching jobs: Some schools and districts have more than 50% of their employees in non-teaching positions. There should be no more than 25%. Also, make administrators more liable for poor schools and poor education (not teachers, not parents, not janitors).....seems we rarely point to bad administration for our poor schools

- Stop "Political Correctness": Kids need to learn to read and write...not "Heather has two mommies"...."Gay is OK"..and other liberal pablum. No special treatment for non-white, non-anglo kids who refuse to behave, refuse to pay attention, and obstruct classes. Set the same standards for everyone