An Ivy prof's view of today's kids entering college

"I think the kids are entering college damaged by their secondary education that, in the broadest terms, leaves them feeling entitled, unable to handle failure owing to resistance of the system to impose it, and a general malaise. The digital world is distracting ALL of use (as evidenced by the fact that I am typing this), but these kids are in their formative years in which immersion is critical to developing skills. (I used to fall asleep in the library, dream about the subject, and have trouble waking up because I thought I was studying.) I used to be able to transcribe my more important sets of notes FROM MEMORY before exams. It's not evidence of understanding, but it sure as hell indicated that I had been grinding on the problem. You do not find a willingness to do that, in part because of the Google mentality--If I can find it, why do I need to learn it? The top half of the elite institutions is still exceptional; the bottom half has fallen considerably.

So how does it get fixed: It will take care of itself as this malaise becomes protracted. In my 2010 Year End Review I intend to touch upon education as a topic. Still pondering the outline."

请您先登陆,再发跟帖!