As Students Change, Teaching Does, Too

When I first read, “We should not be concerned with students who are not responsive or bored with traditional teaching methods,” I thought to myself, “But what are traditional teaching methods these days?” What was considered traditional 20 years ago is now out-dated in some schools (depending on the money they’ve had to invest in technology). At my school (Bowling Green Technical College), Smart Boards and Sympodiums are the norm, and many of us use these interactive devices daily in our classes to engage our students and enhance our lectures. When I go to Western Kentucky University to teach my night class, I’m lucky that the class is scheduled in one of the computer classrooms in the department, which is equipped with a computer for each student and a projector, as well, but most instructors don’t have those resources to work with. Therefore, what is “traditional” to me and my classes and schools may not be for lack of tools in others.

With the changing definition of “traditional teaching methods” in mind, there are so many reasons students might be non-responsive or bored, but the number one and two reasons in my experience are that they are nervous about the coursework (especially in composition classes where they all feel they can’t write well) or they are not challenged. I make sure to gain a personal connection with my students early each term so that I know what their attitudes and feelings are about writing in order to help combat these two causes of poor engagement... but as I move into the frontier of online teaching, will it be so easy for me to do this with my classes in that medium? I’ll find out over the next few months! I have high hopes that I’ll still be able to do it as I’m an avid emailer and truly enjoy reading what my students write for me.

And last but not least, I must agree with the final statement—a college degree isn’t for everyone; however, anyone who wants to try should be allowed to find out for him/herself. I teach at a technical college and a four year university. I see two different levels of higher education students each day...and at each institution, I can tell which students don’t belong in the setting they’ve chosen—there are ones who should move up a level or down a level and others who should maybe just get a job and try again in a few years. It’s all about maturity, desire, and being able to pursue a goal, I think. As a student, if you’re disinterested and disengaged no matter what your instructors do to try to engage you, perhaps this isn’t the time for you to be in school. While some students are better equipped intellectually to succeed, I think each student has a chance at succeeding and should take that chance if he/she wishes to take it.