For those of us in education, this question is not so easily answered. Yes, the academe can instruct, it can assess, and it can confer degrees, but can any of us ever determine the true capabilities of any student? I don't think so! At the outset, this might sound pessimistic. After all, when we send our children to school, when we dedicate so much time to their future success, what parent wants to hear this: "Yes we instructed, yes we did the assessment, and yes we granted the degree, but we don't know if your child knows anything."

This might sound extraordinary, but it's true. Yet, I write this paper not as a pessimist, but partly as a optimist (I have great hope in my students' potential, even when they are not performing up to standard) and partly as a realist, a realist who has witnessed superior performance from students who apparently had ‘documentation' by other teachers and psychologists indicating that my students did not have the mental capacities to perform what they did, in fact, eventually learn.

Despite all the significant research and development science has made in its study of cognition, the human mind is still a great enigma. Yet, its own personal and beautiful mystery lies not in its ability to be tinkered with and fixed by science; the mind's true wonder lies in its own ability, even when all expectation seems forlorn, to say "I can."

The Push

As an English Professor, I always see students either meet their goals, fall far short of their goals or land somewhere in between. As their assessor, I must show where, in their writing, goals are met and where improvement is needed (based on what they are trying to communicate). When grading papers, I can see they sometimes view me more as a pedantic, ruler-swinging despot than a gentle hand helping them reach their true potentialities.

Reach True Potentialities? Yes, that might sound like an ethereal endeavor, but it really isn't. Teachers aren't gurus, and we're certainly not attempting something lofty like trying to free their souls. We can teach and assess them, and now there are pharmaceuticals that can help them with concentration, but the student must be able to say, "I can." Let's not forget the title of this essay, "Who Knows What?"

I can never know for sure what potential my students have. Ask any teacher, and they will tell you this is probably the most frustrating aspect of education. Solution? Push . . . continually encourage them to discover things about themselves they never knew; then, wait to see what happens. Of course, this is by no means a guarantee that all students will become perfect scholars by the end of the semester, but it does encourage them to pursue what they otherwise might not try.

Who Knows What? One thing I know for sure: Most students are not even aware of their own capabilities. They must be pushed so they can try. In practice, in any one of my classes, this rule applies across the board; that is, it applies both to my best and to my worst performing student all the time. Ask my straight ‘A' students and ask my students who are teetering on the ‘D' line; they will all tell the same tale: "The Guy is a Pest!"

The Gadfly and the Bumblebee

Aye, there's the rub. The dark side of this whole undertaking is that some students do not acknowledge the ‘push and pull' dynamic of this lofty enterprise - the philosophical ‘Being/Becoming' journey of this practice - so they take well-meaning encouragement as head-on effrontery. As all instructors know, there is only so much we can ‘push' before we overstep the bounds of good classroom decorum. What do we do then? The answer lies not in some new philosophy or modern methodology; it falls back again on the elementary and the practical. The good, old-fashioned questions: Who? What? Why? When? Where? How?

There is certainly no full-scale assault on students if the instructor simply writes in the margin of their papers any combination of those six questions. And if students are required to answer those questions, they might just begin to assimilate this lifelong process of discovery. A famous quote in our business goes something like this: "The nature of gravity dictates that it is impossible for the bumblebee to fly. The nature of the bumblebee dictates that it will."

All of us know we will face obstacles, but what is so easy to forget is that there is something within our very own nature that allows us to defy the drag or opposing force, even when the opposing force is our own apprehension. Yea, sounds like a lot of heavy depth psychology for your average college student to absorb and contemplate, but we are Americans, and America has its foundation in Pragmatics; y'know, the practical side to everything - the ‘cash value.'

What about Grades?

At the outset of this essay, I made a bold assertion that educators can instruct, assess, and grant degrees, but we just can't guarantee that our students know anything. Why? There are a number of reasons that are fairly straightforward. Keep in mind, every student is aware of them. First, there are always a certain number of students who cheat to the extent that their offenses go unnoticed. Second, when students cram for tests - remembering much information in a very limited amount of time - that information, soon after the test is over, is easily forgotten. Combine those poor academic practices with a college graduate's general inability to market themselves during a job interview, and we have quite a recipe for disaster. Yet, even then, all hope is not lost. I always encourage my students to keep a portfolio of their best work when they're in college. This portfolio will be of great use later when seeking employment.

"But what if my work at college simply wasn't that good, Dr. Pest," my students ask, "What do I do now?" Take the assignments that will be most significant to the jobs for which you are applying, and redo them to perfection. It's never too late to learn, and it's certainly never too late to improve upon an employment portfolio. Of course, when you redo the assignment this time around, make sure you actually understand them to the extent that you can discuss the concepts during an interview. You must push yourselves now, you must defy your own apprehensions, and you must say, "I can do this."

Parting Thoughts

Of course, it's always best to start off on the right foot, as they say, and learn well the first time out. But we all have capacities that need to be developed over time. If we can't absorb it well the first time out, who is to say that, with some persistence, we couldn't eventually learn it completely, or at least learn it better than we know it now. That's part of the journey. But kiddies beware!

More and more, we see middle-aged adults returning to college after perhaps missing the opportunity the first time around. According to some old, traditional wisdom, these 'old geezers' have the cards stacked against them: low energy level, failing memory, grumpy disposition, etc. Sound like a bunch of negative stereotypes? They are! Many of my adult students must have learned something very profound from their very valuable life experience - They learned "They can." A word of caution though: "Wisdom doesn't necessarily come with age. Sometimes age just shows up all by itself." (Tom Wilson)

---------------

Michael Passero teaches at Florida Atlantic University and Palm Beach Community College. Also, he held positions as writer and editor for companies such as TRW and Steck-Vaugh/Berrent Publications. His text editing projects include Long Island History, Strategies for Success in Writing, and Strategies for Success in Reading. In addition to teaching at the college level, he is sole proprietor of Sparrow Communication, where he specializes in editing, writing, content development and information architecture. Contact Mike at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with any comments or inquiries.

Comments

Add New Search RSS

MCinemaStone721  - What if I believe "I Can" and the professor lack   |2008-07-15 11:37:23 Not quite sure if you feel that the lack of the "I Can" attitude is what seems to be the problem in regards to students or does that include some professors' lack of commitment as well? I have always had problems with the education system in Florida. FCAT completely overshadows other very important subjects like art, music, history, etc. to the point that the learning system is stunted at a very early age for students. Motivation is out the window and the extreme pressure they place on kids is overwhelming. I remember being judged only by my SAT and FCAT scores. I was never any good at standardized tests, but I was an Honor Roll student and had been since I graduated from college last year. I had plenty of teachers who tried to force me into taking remedial or intermediate classes because they felt I didn Reply 2   0

Mike Passero   |2008-07-15 17:58:12 Yes, professors can have the "I Can" problem too; after all, we are human Standardized testing has always been a controversial issue. Many instructors as well find it limiting in its assessment capabilities. This article is, by no means, an assault on students. It's just a reminder of students' sometimes unexercised potential. Reply 1   0

Write comment
Name:
Email:	do not notifynotify
Title:
	Please input the anti-spam code that you can read in the image.

Powered by !JoomlaComment 3.26

3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

---