Comments on: Are We Preparing Students for College?

By: Michaelle

Michaelle — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 02:36:22 +0000

I know everyone wants to say, it’s because of Covid, but honestly this has been an ongoing situation for at least the past 10 years. I have students who refuse to try, refuse to participate in discussions with their classmates or adults in the room, and at the end of the semester demand “extra credit” so they can pass. These are the same students who refuse to turn in any work. No, “extra credit” is not an option to pass classes, especially when you as a student have not turned in the “normal work”. I teach for a university part time and full time in high school special education reading and writing. I am seeing the same behaviors at the university as I am seeing in high school. I am so sad this is where we are as a culture. This is my last year teaching high school, I love my kids, but I don’t love the entitlement an demands of their parents as well as at times counselors asking me to pass students who have done less than half the assignments. Why would I pass them, they did not exhibit any gains in education. I always hear one of two answers, if YOU fail them it will negatively impact their GPA and make it difficult to get into the college of their choice or they will be ineligible for sports if YOU fail them. I have pointed out repeatedly, I am not the one failing them, they are failing themselves and their inflated grades will not help them be successful in college.

By: Stacy Vickers

Stacy Vickers — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 12:40:49 +0000

I find the same to be true! I am visiting with some cousins during the holidays. One cousin has a junior in high school. He used the phrase “school is optional.” Something clicked with me. I hadn’t heard that, but it seems to be the attitude my juniors hold. I do not see the same attitude with my sophomores. I wonder if we are nearing the end of COVID effects.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 16:11:19 +0000

An interesting read. As a high school humanities teacher and parent of a student in university, I could not agree more. Universities are operating on a completely different wavelength and I often question whether we are truly preparing them. As I saw with my own son, many times we are not, sadly.