I wasn't able to hide my disappointment
@gianthesphinx (14)
March 24, 2017 6:08am CST
Today, I was asked by my co-teacher to be a panelist for the research defense of her students in technical writing . One research made me lose my cool because in one of their recommendations, they cited part-time instructors as a major influence as to why students fail - they said that the university should not hire part-timers like me because we are inefficient teachers. I mean they are entitled to their own opinion but that was research where opinions are not valid not until they back it up with data. I was so infuriated by their arrogance. I am an education graduate and I am well-aware of almost all the teaching pedagogues and none of my students fail my class.
When I asked them about their reasons for concluding such, they cited their personal experiences from their part-time instructors - okay I get it, there are some instructors who are so busy with their day jobs they do not have time to cater to students inquiries; my point is that I and some of my co part-timers are not. We take time to tally grades and let those in the brink of failing catch-up. We also make sure that the content of our lesson is appropriate as well as we also make sure that we use varying teaching techniques.
I have reprimanded them a bit but I made sure to maintain my composure, I just wanted them to learn their lesson- to be careful with what they conclude.
5 people like this
5 responses
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
25 Mar 17
i am a part-time clinical instructor for 13 years now. i am just glad to say, we part-time instructors are well-liked by our students because we fill in the gap that the full-time instructors miss.
3 people like this
@cacay1 (83577)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
25 Mar 17
@ridingbet , that is case to case and course to course my dear. There are also individual differences and we can never please a single student. They usually out the blame n the teacher, whey, they do not even have a book ha ha ha fools!
3 people like this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
26 Mar 17
@cacay1 yes and i think they can use the internet to research on their subjects' topics. but here in my school we part-timers are more liked than the full-time instructors.
@gianthesphinx (14)
•
1 Apr 17
@ridingbet Even in the college I am teaching too. Part-timers are equally well-like by the students. It is just that those students who I paneled have bad experiences with part-time teachers.
1 person likes this
@cacay1 (83577)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
25 Mar 17
@JudyEv , That is right,m it should be better for the teacher of that course to check whether their research is supported with appropriate findings or not that research paper may not be considered factual. The panel should also have checked about the research title if coincides with the recommendations, if not, and if I am among the research panel, I will surely announced a grade of failed after the deliberation .
3 people like this
@gianthesphinx (14)
•
1 Apr 17
They are indeed @JudyEv which is why I reminded them to be careful with conclusions
1 person likes this
@cacay1 (83577)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
25 Mar 17
@prinzcy, Very well said , they have to put the blame on themselves for teachers just do their job to teach them and grade them as well.They are indeed disrespectful considering they cannot graduate a course without teachers.
2 people like this
@gianthesphinx (14)
•
1 Apr 17
Indeed that was. They are discrediting the hard work we put into teaching. I believe that it doesn't actually imply that being a part-timer is synonymous to incompetent. I really don't understand why part-timers are sometimes looked-up to as not in the same level as the full-time ones.
@cacay1 (83577)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
25 Mar 17
You were not wrong in defending yourself. Why are those students putting teachers as the factor of their failure? Why didn't they realize about their contributions to their grades? I am also a university professor, part time but full time load but I exhaust myself to transfer the knowledge and skills I obtained in those laborious years just to acquire numerous courses just to have all students under my jurisdiction graduate not a half-baked but highly competitive. They have to put their blames on themselves for there is no flanker if they only studied hard.
2 people like this
@gianthesphinx (14)
•
1 Apr 17
exactly what I told them. It is as if they need spoon feeding to learn when in fact being in college requires learning on their own most of the time.
@VirginiaLee (134)
• Newport, Rhode Island
24 Mar 17
That's ridiculous. Some of the best teachers I had in university were part-timers. I'm glad you defended yourself. Honestly, I have a feeling the issue is more about the students' work ethic and motivation.
2 people like this
@cacay1 (83577)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
25 Mar 17
@VirginiaLee , Indeed ridiculous putting their failures to teachers when teachers know what to teach and how to manage the class. They should also have investigated their performance if studied hard or not. This time bonding is the trend of most students so we mostly see them in malls strolling and unmindful to study their lessons and at the end if failed they blame the teachers, so ridiculous.Those students ave attitude problems.
2 people like this
@gianthesphinx (14)
•
1 Apr 17
I believe so too @VirginiaLee I have actually pointed out that the research they are defending actually points the blame on them and not on us teachers. I could have said more but I controlled myself so as not to go overboard just like what they did. Because at the end of the day, I should still be a role model to the students despite their lapses.
1 person likes this
