The "Education" Thread

[Einherjar86]

I actually have to agree with him, no disrespect to other teachers. It's our responsibility to fill the time allotted to us, not make students (un)happy by letting them go early.

I'll sometimes let my students go a few minutes before the end of class, but never more than five. Thirty minutes early is actually a LOT.

 

[Zephyrus]

I signed up to teach early evening classes with one of my motives being that I can let my students out early without any of the department secretaries/administrators noticing (they all leave the building by 5 PM). I usually fill the whole class period but I frequently let them out 10 minutes early. When the period is 1h 50m, you can only sustain their attention (and your own energy) for so long.

Adhering to time requirements is equating quantity with quality of instruction.

 

[UltimateApathy]

I've actually tried to end my class 1 minute early before and had a student ask me why were ending early, lol. I've also had students ask me several times to continue the class past the official ending time even though we had already finished all the allocated material for that day. And, cherry on the top, once I had such a bad hangover in my Saturday class that I got confused about the ending time and carried on with the class HALF AN HOUR longer than I was supposed to - and not a single student left or even said anything during those otherwordly thirty minutes...

 

[Einherjar86]

Adhering to time requirements is equating quantity with quality of instruction.

This assumes, in my opinion, that there is only ever a limited amount that you can discuss.

My classes are typically 50 minutes, three days per week. I find that, between random comments, Blackboard responses, class activities, and my own thoughts on the assigned text, I never have enough time to get through everything and end up having to cut stuff out.

 

[Dak]

I think there is a significant difference between math and a lot of other subjects.

 

[crimsonfloyd]

Damn bastards complained to the dept. chair about me letting out class early. One can only talk about elementary algebra for so long.. I thought they would be happy to get out a bit early every day. They should have talked to me first.

When I taught college I often let the students out early for the same reasons as you. Now I teach high school/middle school and obviously can't let them out early, so I always overplan. That experience has actually changed my views. If I was to teach college again I wouldn't let students out early. I think there's always something you can expand on or at the very least review to help your struggling students.

Still, your students are kinda shady. I can understand why they may have been frustrated, but they should have talked to you instead of putting you on blast.

 

[Matt]

I love getting let out early from time to time, especially if there isn't any new material/between chapters etc. No need to just waste time.

 

[unknown]

It's weird. Fifty minute classes aren't enough time for me, and I feel like 1hr 50mins is just a hair too much (I usually shoot for around 1hr 40ish minutes)...but every semester I teach a 3 hour class, and it's always one of the best classes in terms of discussion content and student participation. I don't know why

 

[Zephyrus]

^^^ Exactly. I taught 50-minute periods last semester and ran out of time constantly.

 

[Einherjar86]

... but you still teach the same amount of time per week (roughly), no?

 

[Zephyrus]

Yes. I'm not defending myself from being a lazy deadbeat. If I were teaching a subject I care about, then I'd likely try to cram as much material in as possible. The fact is that I have a lot of control over the pace of the course, and don't have a pre-programmed curriculum, and I'd rather not take the time to go that extra mile when it wouldn't make a difference in this context.

 

[UltimateApathy]

It's weird. Fifty minute classes aren't enough time for me, and I feel like 1hr 50mins is just a hair too much (I usually shoot for around 1hr 40ish minutes)...but every semester I teach a 3 hour class, and it's always one of the best classes in terms of discussion content and student participation. I don't know why

Every weekend I teach a couple of 3-hour classes. Those are the times when my appreciation for coffee is maximized

 

[monoxide_child]

i was already reading college (university) text books when i was still in Elementary school, (for fun actually) so, that's the reason i never bothered to show up to actually attending any kind of college

 

[Einherjar86]

That is just too easy. I can't even decide what I want to say.

 

[monoxide_child]

oh, come on

i don't attend a goddam class that uses a textbook when i can just buy and read the textbook,

seriously
i was reading college textbooks in 4th grade

 

[Dak]

mc is the university system's dream poster child for self-directed learning.

 

[viewerfromnihil]

 

[Nephilim96]

Best show of all time.

 

[Dak]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj3SIXtLaAY

Exactly.

 

[viewerfromnihil]

I received my letter of acceptance into Towson's honors program today. I wasn't concerned about being denied, but the confirmation was nice. They didn't mention the Phi Theta Kappa scholarship in my awards, so I'll have to contact them about it.

I was awarded a tuition scholarship at the HBCU in Baltimore, Morgan, but I'm unsure if I want to take advantage of it; they're like a third-tier college.

I submitted all of the requirements for a tuition scholarship at University of Maryland, so now comes the long wait for a response. I hope I get it, but, out of four-hundred applicants, only thirty transfer students are awarded it, so I'm not banking on it. That, and the admission of transfer students into their honors program is unclear which could be a deal breaker for me.