Sunday, March 4, 2012
The truth exposing professors
While reading "Dancing with Professors The Trouble with Academic Prose" a lot of real life connections were made. It made more then a convincing case that perhaps we should not install all our trust in such an authorial figure. From the beginning of school we are taught that our teachers know best and we should give them all the respect they command. Through my 12, now going on 13, years of school i have a huge problem with that. Although most of my teachers have fit the script and have actually commanded respect there are some that did not deserve the slightest bit and received the opposite. This reading also suggests that maybe professors do not know exactly what is right and to obtain your own thought process not pertaining to that of your professor. I would strongly emphasize this to any student because it is most important to obtain your own thought process to prevent others from peering in to your own brain. It also maintains a sense of individuality, which matters a great amount. Professors will also complicate their students sometimes. They write complex papers that would make them appear brilliant by using such complex words and phrases. The affect of this is setting the students exceptions that to write a standard paper they must place as many "20 point" words as possible. I even have to admit sometimes i feel as if putting more extravagant words will higher my grade level.. It is a trap that has overflowed the minds of too many students
pertaining to the fallacies of writing.
According to the text professors will use this strategy all the time.
Even when they might not know exactly what they are talking about the use of
such huge words downplays that majorly. Again, I have experienced the effects
of this firsthand. Sometimes when professors present something that I have a
few questions with, I hesitate because I believe that the professors is in fact
a professor for a reason; because he knows a lot more then me. Which is not
entirely true, but that should not diminish the fact of critical thinking and
questioning of those in a higher role then we are.
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The “dancing with professor’s” article was on of my favor pieces we have read all semester. I can tell that you feel the same way as me because you show interest in what the article was talking about. I too have experienced teachers who simply “act” as though they know everything and are the “end all and be all.” I strongly disagree with the idea that a teacher must fain how “smart” he or she is.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the idea is extremely necessary for the educational system that is set up in the United States today. Students learn from the very, very beginning that a teacher is right in all ways. In pre-school and kindergarten it is very acceptable for the teacher to be the “dictator” of the classroom, because, well young children are difficult to control.
I am trying to say that the idea was not just put in place by accident. Young students who do not respect their education would not get that education unless their was a respect for the teacher. However, it may be the fact that the education in pressed on the young students that cause then to not respect education.
In a perfect world, ever student would be excited and willing to learn and do work, however the world is not perfect. We live in a world where everything is designed to grab and hold one’s attention and when a student is doing “boring” homework, it can be a struggle to shut all the distractions and get on with school work. And if the teachers did not have the “dictatorship” over the class, then the students may just completely loose focus on schoolwork.