These days many college professors complain that their classroom is no longer controlled by them. Instead, a student and his tuition determine the difficulty of the material and have a strong influence over how he is graded. Universities are worried that their students will bring their business elsewhere if they are not quickly appeased. What the university doesn't understand is that spoiling its students does not make them happy. In reality, they become bored and disinterested. Then the students graduate with a deficient degree because it no longer symbolizes being prepared for the work force. The university's fear of losing tuitions has gone too far when professors are afraid to challenge their students and feel the need to pass those who should have failed. A student should be given the role of consumer in some respects but the classroom is a very different environment than any other in the business world.
UGA students at ASAP conference
Students in the incubation room at the Woodbine Ag...
Group of Woodbine Agricultural School students, Wo...In order to have a successful college atmosphere within the classroom, professors and students need to share influence over how information is delivered. The Socratic Method is teaching by asking instead of telling and is an effective form of teaching which needs to be reintroduced in college classrooms. Seeming unlikely, it is possible if students and teachers have consistent dialogue concerning construction of the course and teaching methods throughout each semester.
It is important for students to act as the consumer in the classroom because they are paying for an education and should be able to have input if they feel that they are not getting what they paid for. Also, input helps a student feel as if he has some contribution to his lesson as opposed to just taking in what the professor thinks is important. This would make a student suppose his education had been lacking,
Ruling hand
You've written a good essay but instead of a ruling hand I prefer to think of it more as a guiding hand. Or at least that's how it should be. I've known professors who felt that they ruled in the classroom and more often than not students resented it. You state, "Students are minds to be molded," but I wonder how many students would agree. Molding of minds almost sounds like forcing students to conform to some arbitrary standard. I would agree that a more cooperative approach wherein the students and instructor work together to create the best learning environment is an appealing approach.
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