If I Could Invent the University My Way...
I'm sure there are plenty of students out there who can relate to the idea of having a teacher or professor that made it clear that it was either their way, or the highway. I have had a few of them myself. These are the teachers who don't care who you are or what your opinion is, because your opinion should be their opinion in the first place. I have felt that to pass a class I have had to mimic what the teacher has said and his or her attitude to be able to get a grade. There have been times when I've had to do just that as well, that is, act like my teacher and agree with every word that drips from their divine lips.
There have also been times when I have written a paper where the teacher does not explain what he or she is looking for in the essay and as a student I have had to take a shot in the dark and hope I hit the target. That is another time where I have conformed to what I think the teacher will be most aptly to approve of. Whenever I have had to do either of the above, I have felt more like a marionette and felt that I have not been able to learn anything from the professor. In that sense, I have had to 'invent' a way for myself to get by in classes like these by creating, as Bartholomae would put it, a 'mini-me' of the teacher.
There have also been a lot of other obstacles I've had to face since entering the University. I quickly learned first hand that if I did not know exactly what I wanted that I would not receive help or advice in the area I was searching for it. I have been sent on many a wild goose chase trying to get to what seems to be an unreachable destination. Just like what we talked about in class: it's near crazy, if not completely crazy, to ask an eighteen year old what he or she wants out of life and expect a direct and unwavering response.
That was how I felt. I had no clue what I wanted to do once I entered Weber State. All I knew was that I wanted an education. I felt, however, that because I did not know what I wanted that no one truly cared about my education aside from myself. Thus, I would be tossed from one hand to another until I finally 'shouted' back, "Alright! That's enough! I know what I want, and it's this. Now tell me what to do and where to go." It was only then that I was given direct responses and told who to see for advice. I had to learn how to play the University's game in order to get where I wanted. That is, I had to act like i knew where I was going and start setting the pieces myself before someone assimilated me into the noob section to begin my epic quest and journey towards a greater education and degree.
There have been much smaller instances where I have had to act like I was some kind of 733t and go charging forward with sword in hand to get where I had wanted to go. It's just a matter of keeping up with a game pace that is moving too fast and getting to the next level before the gate is closed and you have to start back at square one again.
There have also been times when I have written a paper where the teacher does not explain what he or she is looking for in the essay and as a student I have had to take a shot in the dark and hope I hit the target. That is another time where I have conformed to what I think the teacher will be most aptly to approve of. Whenever I have had to do either of the above, I have felt more like a marionette and felt that I have not been able to learn anything from the professor. In that sense, I have had to 'invent' a way for myself to get by in classes like these by creating, as Bartholomae would put it, a 'mini-me' of the teacher.
There have also been a lot of other obstacles I've had to face since entering the University. I quickly learned first hand that if I did not know exactly what I wanted that I would not receive help or advice in the area I was searching for it. I have been sent on many a wild goose chase trying to get to what seems to be an unreachable destination. Just like what we talked about in class: it's near crazy, if not completely crazy, to ask an eighteen year old what he or she wants out of life and expect a direct and unwavering response.
That was how I felt. I had no clue what I wanted to do once I entered Weber State. All I knew was that I wanted an education. I felt, however, that because I did not know what I wanted that no one truly cared about my education aside from myself. Thus, I would be tossed from one hand to another until I finally 'shouted' back, "Alright! That's enough! I know what I want, and it's this. Now tell me what to do and where to go." It was only then that I was given direct responses and told who to see for advice. I had to learn how to play the University's game in order to get where I wanted. That is, I had to act like i knew where I was going and start setting the pieces myself before someone assimilated me into the noob section to begin my epic quest and journey towards a greater education and degree.
There have been much smaller instances where I have had to act like I was some kind of 733t and go charging forward with sword in hand to get where I had wanted to go. It's just a matter of keeping up with a game pace that is moving too fast and getting to the next level before the gate is closed and you have to start back at square one again.
posted by Joni Lund at 6:53 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home