But it ignores what I think (as a community college English professor who's back to work at my old school after retirement--I'm now an adjunct again) is the most significant part--this is a 200-person chemistry lecture course with labs--I assume run by TAs. If the students were taking this class at a community college, they wouldn't have that experience--there'd be more like 25 folks in a room with one professor. No wonder they're grumpy students--they're not getting what they're paying for--the kind of personal instruction that should be the hallmark of college life. large lecture courses have a life of their own and become self-justifying if the faculty regard them as "gatekeeper" courses--they're really just poorly designed
and . We do students a disservice when we regard a large lecture course as pedagogically sound. I took organic chemistry in college--in summer school after failing first semester chemistry and taking it over in the spring--25 students, one professor, daily labs--I am no chemist, but at least I understood the course well enough to pass.
Yes, I’ve been following the Hasidic story, but haven’t weighed in because the story is complicated and polarizing. I would have to gird my loins for tons of hate mail.
The NYTimes article about the organiz chemistry professor at NYU is fascinating: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/03/us/nyu-organic-chemistry-petition.html
But it ignores what I think (as a community college English professor who's back to work at my old school after retirement--I'm now an adjunct again) is the most significant part--this is a 200-person chemistry lecture course with labs--I assume run by TAs. If the students were taking this class at a community college, they wouldn't have that experience--there'd be more like 25 folks in a room with one professor. No wonder they're grumpy students--they're not getting what they're paying for--the kind of personal instruction that should be the hallmark of college life. large lecture courses have a life of their own and become self-justifying if the faculty regard them as "gatekeeper" courses--they're really just poorly designed
and . We do students a disservice when we regard a large lecture course as pedagogically sound. I took organic chemistry in college--in summer school after failing first semester chemistry and taking it over in the spring--25 students, one professor, daily labs--I am no chemist, but at least I understood the course well enough to pass.
have you been following the NYC school topic of taxpayer supported Hasidic schools not providing a basic education? https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/15/nyregion/a-closer-look-at-the-times-report-on-hasidic-schools.html?searchResultPosition=2
and https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2022/09/28/hasidic-schools-yeshiva-education
and https://www.npr.org/2022/09/14/1122895390/new-york-approves-new-private-school-regulations
Yes, I’ve been following the Hasidic story, but haven’t weighed in because the story is complicated and polarizing. I would have to gird my loins for tons of hate mail.