Yesterday, Amanda the babysitter came by to watch the kids, while I went to a meeting. Afterwards, I paid her, and we chatted for few minutes on the front porch. Part of the rituals of babysitting.
I asked Amanda how classes were going at the community college that she attends. OK, she said. It wasn't too hard. She said that she had no idea what was going to be on her literature midterm, because they hadn't read any books yet. In fact, the teacher hasn't even discussed literature in class. He was obsessed with assisted death, because his wife recently passed away. So, this lit prof. has been giving one class after another on assisted death. They watch movies on the topic for class twice a week.
Another babysitter goes a local four year college. She's about to graduate with a degree in sociology. Theresa has never written a paper longer than five pages, and she's never read a novel. In fact, Theresa is able to get by with a B average without ever completing any of the assigned readings for class.
Even at my school, which has a much better reputation, has a few stinker classes. The students love telling stories about the professor who only held class seven times in one semester or the professor who just showed videos in class. Some hold their finals two weeks early. The requirements and expectations vary greatly amongst the different majors. Thankfully, my department is strong.
The guy who sold me my computer at the Apple store is a history adjunct at a local college. He has a terminal Masters from a very mediocre local college. I can't imagine that he's prepared to teach college-level history.
More students are in college than ever before. But how many of them are getting degrees that mean something? Why aren't they ticked off that they are spending thousands on empty degrees? Why are the colleges not enforcing some rigor?
