Quality Counts

One of the most frustrating educational challenges is the process of making students improve as a result of experiencing new content, accepting new instruction, and developing new knowledge. My experience shows me that far too many students recycle what worked for them in high school, most especially classroom behavior, educational expectations, and essays.

Yes, essays. You would be amazed how many college-level compositions cannot make it past a basic 3-paragraph, 5-sentences each basic high school essay. The concept of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation providing the foundation for written communication is totally foreign to far too many college attendees. "Focus on the topic" is an overwhelming challenge because most students only know how to write about themselves and their (sometimes painfully) limited knowledge and/or experience.

Sometimes, it's a matter of personal safety for a student to recycle past successes, especially if a beloved high school teacher emotionally supported students with comments that valued their self-esteem, rather than the quality of the written communication. I am continually amazed at how many "straight A" students are attending college, especially when I read essays. Handing back a college essay with the comment "empty content" is anathema to building self-esteem; explaining that all those words in all those sentences don't add up to much more than one meaningful sentence can downright devastate a college student and send him/her to the Office of Student Services for a quick drop-the-course response.

It takes guts and sheer determination to learn to write content-rich, well- researched, important essays. College is not for whimps.

However, there is rich reward when students put their ego (and cell phones) into their backpacks and take out their "I'm here to learn" equipment, such as notetaking supplies, writing utensils, and completed assignments. It's surprising how interesting, engaging, and challenging college courses can be when students come prepared to be part of the process, rather than observers. Essays, in particular, can grow from a good thesis statement to an excellent examination of an important idea based on solid research and insight when that is both the expectation and the goal of the writing process.

The lamenting wail of "but I did what you told me" falls by the wayside in college, as simply doing homework is only one step in the learning process. More importantly, can you discuss the concepts/issues, both orally and in writing, and create understanding for the listener/reader? Can you demonstrate to anyone that you know that about which you are writing? discussing? thinking? Telling anyone what you know means nothing; demonstrating knowledge means everything.

Across the disciplines enrollments have plummeted as students wait for the classes to meet their needs, rather than stepping up and fulfilling the expectations of the course content. The old saw, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going" has been reworked to "when the going gets tough, the student drops the class."

My goal is to hear the sweet chant of "I'm going to learn this; I'm going to do this; whatever it takes," rather than the whiney wail of "This is too hard!" College is all about quality, a commodity that is in short supply this semester.