The Unfortunate Reality of Bad Teaching: A Response

While I am still a high school senior at Willow Bend Academy (in Plano), I am writing this blog post for my Composition I class, which I am taking at Brookhaven College. I have been taking dual credit courses since the spring of 2016, with the goal of having twenty-seven college credits by the time I graduate high school. I don’t know where I will go to college, but I have already applied to nine colleges and have heard from four thus far (all acceptances). As a passionate reader and writer of poetry and fiction, I am planning on studying English once I start my freshman year of college. I am a strong writer and thinker; if I struggle, I suspect it will be largely due to procrastination.

            In her blog posts, “‘Some Professors Suck at Teaching!’: A Parent and Student Voice Concerns” and “Part 2: ‘Some Professors Suck!’ – Being New and Only Using the Book,” Communications professor Ellen Bremen outlines four explanations for why a professor might be weak and possible actions students could take in response. The posts respond to two comments that bring up the issue of professors teaching poorly or refusing to help students. Bremen explains that professors sometimes won’t help because they want students to try to solve the problem independently before they ask. Other times, they may simply refuse to help, in which case the student should expressly state their need for assistance or go to another professor. Bremen claims that professors may be weak because they are new or are building a new curriculum, and so are still figuring out what works. In this context, students should communicate what they thought was effective and make polite recommendations. The other possibility, says Bremen, is that professors, being new or negligent, base their curriculum entirely off the textbook. In this context, students could politely ask the professor for additional resources to improve their learning.

            While I have been lucky in my experience in high school and at Brookhaven college (I have had five different professors, ranging in quality from good to excellent), I am under no illusions that my experience has been the norm. I have heard friends moan about teachers from my old school, sometimes (it has seemed) without merit, but sometimes with merit. In middle school, many people dreaded Mr. Grayson’s physics class because, after getting a degree in geology and spending years teaching geology to sixth graders, he was forced by the school to teach eighth-grade physics. This led to a problem like what Bremen described in her third reason for a professor’s weakness, as Mr. Grayson had to create a new curriculum, but with the additional difficulty of relearning the subject himself. Another issue often faced at my previous school, which Bremen did not address (in all fairness, because it was not brought up by either comment), is teachers picking favorites. The choir instructor at my old school was (and is still) notorious for this, to the point of blaming the failures of her favorite students on those students she disliked.

            However, what struck me as the most immediately practical information Bremen gave was her recommendation to make sure to outline what you have already done to try to understand a concept when you go to a professor for help. I have not frequently had to go to a teacher for help understanding a concept, but as I enter more advanced classes that is likely to change. Additionally, the few times I asked for help understanding something at my old high school, I found the teachers’ attempts to help entirely unhelpful. I cannot remember for certain, but I suspect that I did not outline adequately what I had already done in my attempt to understand the material. Perhaps, if I take Bremen’s advice, I will be more successful in the future.

Is Anxiety a Personal Issue?

Currently I’m in the middle of my first semester of college, and I have definitely already made mistakes and learned from them. Taking twenty-one hours is something I question everyday, but it’s to qualify for a scholarship, so that’s what keeps me going. I plan to transfer to a university next school year and major in civil engineering. I’ve always excelled in math, because my brain likes when there is only one answer, but my English 1301 class has grown on me, because I can really commit to essays that are about something I’m interested in, while past English classes have focused on analyzing literature. My interest level doesn’t include a two and half page essay about how a poem conveys a theme that has to be written in fifty minutes. The nerves would really set in and I think I would stare at the paper for a solid ten minutes. I’ve had noticeable anxiety about writings, and public speaking is even worse, but I have definitely learned how to deal and prevent any flares of nerves.

            In the blog post “The Response: Should You Tell Your Professor About Your Anxiety/Depression?” written by Ellen Bremen, she goes through the steps one can take in communicating his or her disabilities to the professor. First, she answers the question presented in the title, “Should you approach your professors? I say absolutely.” She then points out that professors aren’t unaware of anxiety and depression; they probably have experienced it or known someone that has and will understand your situation. Bremen discusses the importance of showing your professor “you are serious about longitudinally staying focused.” Next, she tells any student reading the article to stop consistently looking at bad grades; it doesn’t do any good and just makes you more anxiety driven. Lastly, Bremen gets the input of Jennifer Sandler, the head of the Access/Disability Services at Highline Community College, where she reiterates a few of Bremen’s points and also adds that “‘[c]lear communication between yourself and the prof is key’” and that professors are there to give accommodations, whether to register with the Disability Service office or not, but not free passes.

            When Bremen states “secrets don’t help people,” it strikes a cord, because it reminds me that internalizing issues doesn’t do anything thing but hinder your confidence. Knowing people with anxiety and depression, I understand that the thought of telling a stranger their problems creates even more anxiety, which only makes a vicious cycle. She points out that the student with anxiety/depression may feel like their professors won’t understand the severity of the problem, but makes it clear that anxiety and depression is a disability that affects many people and some of their professors are those people. Bremen addresses that professors are people to; they don’t live at school. For people who don’t have anxiety and/or depression, the action of talking with their professors seems like a mundane task, but for those who do, it feels like they’ve been given the task to pass a calculus II test with the knowledge of algebra I; it’s impossible. She’s compelling when she reminds the reader anxiety/depression is a universal problem, which is significant, because the advice is coming from a current professor.

            Another point that stuck out was when she is talking about the “grades that are making you sick.” As a current professor, she knows of solutions that someone outside the teaching profession might not even knows exists. She mentions the use of the Academic Renewal, which will allow the student to wipeout an entire term and that it’s provided at many institutions. Before reading this blog post, I was completely unaware of this device, which gives her more credibility and trust, because she is making it apparent that she has the student’s interests in mind. Once someone feels comforted, it becomes much easier for him or her to open up and actually listen to the speaker, which is something Bremen took into account.

            Bremen is informative and concise in addressing the issue of if and how one should go about communicating one’s issue to their professor. With her credibility and compassion towards the student, the blog post gives advice that anyone reading with anxiety and/or depression will be most likely to take in a heartbeat.

The Talk

            I have enjoyed returning to school and learning about the world and myself.  As someone with a full time job, it can sometimes be hard to keep up with school work.  I have to make schoolwork a priority.  I’m a 37 year old wife and mother of three college sophomores.  My daughters attend college in Iowa, Illinois and Japan.  Now you may be wondering if I am a proud mother of triplets. Sorry to disappoint, but you could say we have a “blended family.” Within a two week period, we went from a bustling house full of busy chatty teenagers to just us “old people.”  We miss them, but it is wonderful to see them grow as independent, courageous young women.  After our girls were settled in college for a year and a brief bout with cancer, I realized that I wanted to return to school as well.  Also, the financial aid forms didn’t seem quite as scary as they did when I was young and wanted to attend college. 

            In her “Mini-Post: The College Conversation That I Hope Parents & Students Will Have This Thanksgiving,” communications professor Ellen Breman makes a direct plea to the parents and then to the students about “the college conversation” that will likely take place over the Thanksgiving break.  She asks parents to throw out the standard open ended question about how school is going.  The reason Breman argues this is because a student who might have poor grades could become defensive.  Instead, she suggests the parents mention that the semester is coming to an end soon and ask if their children have confirmed their grades with professors to make sure they are accurate.  Breman adds that “sometimes profs make mistakes” putting in grades.  Breman asserts that this may take the student by surprise and will hopefully nudge the student to take responsibility for their grades before the end of the semester, when it will likely be too late to do anything about bad grades.  At this point, Breman shifts directly to the student, noting the same: talk to professors after Thanksgiving break. 

Even though this blog article was written four years ago, the subject is still very relevant.  My unique perspective of being a college student and a mother of college students made this article ring true to me.  I worry about my children’s grades, but as the mother of college students, I have to respect their adulthood and this time of self development and self awareness in their lives.  Sure, a parent still needs to be there and offer advice to their child as they become adults, but there is a fine line between offering suggestions and overstepping boundaries.  Nothing is worse than a helicopter parent of a twenty something year old.  Part of the college experience is being responsible for yourself and dealing with consequences of your actions.  Breman’s advice to parents works well because it encourages specificity enabling a more productive conversation.  Breman’s advice makes parents and students feel like they are on the same team, instead of in conflict.

Breman communicates in an effective, easy to understand way to both students and parents.  Her style works because she is speaking to them as a trusted friend and advisor with relevant advice.    Parents will benefit from Breman’s down to earth style in understanding the mind and experiences of their college students.  Students will hopefully understand their parents’ concerns a little better as well as take responsibility for their grades.  Not all parents of college students have been college students themselves.  I have been on both sides of this spectrum.  When my kids started college, I had never attended.  Now I am current college student.  I have a new perspective and appreciation on what my children are going through because my experience is concurrent with theirs.  I find that I can have a more focused conversation about school with my daughters since we are going through a lot of the same situations.  I appreciate Breman’s advice for myself as a new college student working hard to make the best grades and as a parent trying to ensure that my children are doing the best they can in all areas of their lives.  Breman’s advice for parents is useful because parents of college children are generally trying to figure out how to be parents of college children.  As parents, we may think we know best, but we cannot forever be the parent of an infant or toddler.  In the same token, we cannot forever be the parent of a middle or high school student.   Our best intentions of being a “good” parent can unintentionally distance ourselves and destroy relationships with our newly emerging adult children.  

The Prudent Student

As a little girl, I was never entertained with the thought of becoming a college student. Both of my parents had never been college students so I was never encouraged nor was I pressured to become one. After I became a mother I desperately wanted to pursue a higher education. Prior to attending college, I knew deep in my heart that I had a passion for both children and writing, so I decided I wanted to become a middle school teacher. On this journey through college I have learned things about myself that I feel I would have never known had I not decided to attend. I enjoy history more than I thought I would and I realize that I probably shouldn’t plan to become a chemist anytime soon. I’ve also felt lost and confused about some of the important choices I’ve had to make.

In the fabulous blog “What Would You Say to a High School Student Who Feels Lost and Controlled by Family?” by Ellen Bremen, she responds to a teenager who feels confused about what steps to take in his near future. It has been traditionally known in his family to let the elders decide which career and college decisions that the younger ones should make, so that it would ultimately provide them with a good living. He wants to attend community college but his family does not want him to, as if that dilemma wasn’t enough he also has no sense of direction as far as careers go. The closer he is getting to graduating the more he realizes that he wants to be able to live his own life for himself but doesn’t want to become disowned for it. Bremen encourages him to find someone he can trust to help him unravel some of his decision making. She also suggests many other ways he can go about handling the problematic situation he’s in.

To start off, I like how Bremen purposes some seemingly better alternative routes as far as choosing a school goes. She suggests that maybe he could start out at a community college to take his core classes, that way he would still have time to figure out what career path may fit him. She also mentions that maybe exploring his family’s recommendations of choosing a university may not be such a bad idea. Even with Bremen being a community college professor I like how she does not make one idea sound better than the other and avoids sounding biased with any of her advice. If I didn’t already know who she was I would have assumed she was just giving some open-minded advice. I find it helpful how she also mentions that he finds some “trusted ones” such as a counselor or a teacher, that can walk with him on his journey and give him reliable advice.

Of course, I feel like she would love to continue to help him; however, I think she believes that it would be better if he had someone to talk to face to face instead of virtually. I understand where she’s coming from with this because you can’t sense the emotion behind the text on a screen as much as you can by sitting in someone else’s presence. You also can’t get into real depth; your time is more limited when it is being shared over blogs and other people’s questions. I have personally found her advice not only to be helpful but also reassuring that my choice of college was not to be looked “down” upon, but a good alternative route as far as saving tons of money goes. Although I know what I want to do with my life, there are still times where I am not sure if it is the right fit for me, her mentioning that you have a bit more time to figure out what path you want to go down has eased some anxiety. I’m not just going to run off and choose a different career, however, I’m glad she has informed not only the young man but her audience as well.

One of the other things that really gained my respect for her and this article was her ability to show authenticity and empathy to the young man and her readers. Bremen’s tone was helpful because she came off as someone easy to talk to, I felt like I knew her. Her tone is welcoming and made me feel as if we were just two friends having coffee at a local coffee shop and she was there to listen and communicate her honest advice and wisdom. Bremen could have easily came across as someone who talked at you instead of to you, or even someone who had an extremely judgmental tone but instead she kept an even tone. What I find so interesting is that this blog was written about 3 months after I graduated high school, almost 5 years ago. This means that me and the boy that Bremen is writing to are the same age and went through very similar emotions during such a crucial time in our lives. I wish I could have come across this article much sooner, it could have answered a lot of questions I had at the time as well. Bremen genuinely seemed concerned for the boy and his future, you could sense the compassion behind what she was trying to say. What really struck me was the tone in what she said when she mentioned, “you can tell your family that you’re willing to explore their options, but you’re going to move forward and investigate on your own, too.” If I were the one writing to him instead of Bremen, I picture myself being a little less considerate of his family’s feelings and more for doing what was best for him regardless of what anyone else thought. Bremen conveys this message too, for all I know she could have felt like me and wanted to vaguely tell him to do his own thing; however, the way she dressed her words up came across as kind and professional.

This article has helped me to consider other loved one’s perspectives, not that I should base my important decisions off what other people think and want, but now I’m a little more opened to exploring other ideas besides my own. I believe I am going to enjoy my college walk a little more, her insight has shown me a new appreciation for the ones who have stuck by my side through every decision I’ve made. It has even shown me that I also want to be here for other kids who are going through some tough times and need a voice to guide them. Everyone is going to come to a point when they need help whether they’re a college student or a high school student, it is never too late to seek support.