For two of my writing classes, I have to give my students a final in-class essay. They must pass this test or flunk the entire course, no matter what their grade was throughout the rest of the term. In order to prepare them for this challenge, I give two in-class practice essays. I'm elbow deep in grading those responses now and I wanted to share something with you that I've learned as a result of reading their responses.
The prompt was:
You are currently enrolled in college as a student. Why? What do you hope to gain in terms of education and intelligence? What is the point of book learning? Write an essay where you validate your reason for going to school with three supporting arguments in favor of book learning.
Most of the responses I've received have to do with better paying jobs (which isn't a surprise, I would have written the same thing in undergrad), but what I find startling is that alongside these claims of higher education ensuring a better job is that these jobs DON'T involve work. Did you know that people who have college degrees basically sit on their butts and collect giant paychecks? I didn't. I'm being facetious about it, but it scares me a bit when I think about the level of expectation my students have for what their degree means.
I plan on returning to the classroom on Tuesday and having a little chat about what their expectations are in terms of the jobs they will get outside of college. I want to warn them that there are hordes of college graduates out there that don't have jobs. I want to warn them that there are many college educated people who are serving tables, working as caretakers for the elderly, moving furniture, and any number of other low paying professions. I feel like these students believe that the college diploma is a "golden ticket" ala Willy Wonka and that the life of a college graduate is easy street.
I'll try not to play the pity card and tell them my own story of having TWO degrees and still having to piece together part time work, barely getting benefits, and still tending bar in order to make ends meet. It's not that I want to be the cynic in the room, but I want them to know what they are getting into, especially if they are taking federal money and working their way into high levels of debt. Wish me luck.
I had to give those awful group finals when I taught at a community college in California, then sit in a conference room for a day and holistically grade them--not my own class's tests, and often another course altogether, but I still had to write a number on a blue book that represented half the decision about whether a student passed someone else's class. HATED it. Hated it more for my own students, especially the second language students who did fine on take-home essays that required multiple drafts but choked on timed essays. But I rant. Not even the point of your post.
ReplyDeleteJo Ann,
ReplyDeleteIt is a valid point and one I struggle with. I've turned over two essays to my department chair because they were from second language learners whose skills on the in-class essay weren't up to snuff. On take home essays they got passing grades. It's a really tough situation and one that I'm, like you, uncomfortable with. I teach writing as a process all term long and then I have to throw it all out the window for this in-class essay.