You’re sitting in math class trying to keep your eyes open, and then you hear the teacher call your name. “What’s the square root of six—
“Just one second,” you say. “I have to take this.” And as you pull out your phone with the obnoxious ringtone, you hold up the “just a second” finger to the teacher.
“Oh, I’m sorry for interrupting your phone call,” she replies.
This is what school would be like if professors understood the needs of their students, which they obviously don’t, because most teachers would send a student out for what they claim to be such a blatant disruption.
But really, college students are children of the computer age, so what are teachers expecting? Our minds need to be constantly stimulated, and I’m sorry, but if teachers think the radius of a circle is more important than the text about the neighbors’ bee keeping accident, then that’s their problem.
If they are so bent on having students listen in class, then maybe they should at least pretend to care about their students’ needs. A start would be attempting to be more interesting than what’s happening on the phone screen. I don’t care how they do it; maybe try juggling fire or riding a unicycle during the lesson. Is that really too much to ask?
You know the difference between the generation of students and the generation of teachers? The willingness to let someone know when you’re bored with them. The older generation has these weird ideas about “respect” and whatnot. But I say, don’t waste my time. If what you have to say is worth it, maybe I’ll listen. But if not, it’s off to my phone to find someone more interesting to talk to.
So teachers, next time you’re in the middle of a lesson and you see me texting, don’t you dare give me a dirty look. You just need to know there is something about your personality that needs fixing. If anything, you should say “Thank you.”
Now, I think you need to take those words of wisdom straight to the classroom, and maybe you’ll still have a hope in keeping your students’ attention long enough to teach them anything.
Basically, what I’m saying, is if teachers are not at least trying to entertain their students, well, what makes them think they deserve our attention? Because isn’t being entertained what life is all about?
Interesting take on purposeful learning. I rarely wonder about the mechanics of human physiology as applied to voluntarily walking up steps or even the physical manifestations of hand-eye coordination needed when signing a document or registering for classes however; I now have a reason to consider these.
I am also trying to remember the last or any incidence of when I might have been ushered into a classroom without choice; nope…it’s just not coming to me.
I am assuming that the majority of those students attending a college classroom, have not chosen as their major, Electronic Device Button Management or Under-Desk Screen Monitoring Technology. I should at least check the higher education college catalog just to be sure.
Ahh…the wonderful world of Professors with their many years of hard work and devotion so that we students may take that knowledge and put it to good use. In thinking of course pre-requisite requirements or student supplies needed, I am not recalling a list of magic tricks or dance paraphernalia needed with which to “entertain” the professor. I should REALLY take time to reference that catalog.
Of course, this reply is generated with only an assumption that this article is in reference to the act of sending messages on cell phones so sorry, I am uncertain as to the meaning of the corral of letters, “texing”.
Addendum: I am not recalling a list of magic tricks or dance paraphernalia needed by professors to entertain us.
I must say that I agree with Arlene on the text messaging during class. When you take a text remember that you are not the only one being distracted.