Comments on: Non-trad student, professor reply to student’s comments http://www.theallstate.org/2009/11/04/non-trad-student-professor-reply-to-students-comments/ The Voice of Austin Peay State University Since 1929 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:43:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Eric http://www.theallstate.org/2009/11/04/non-trad-student-professor-reply-to-students-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-610 Eric Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:47:26 +0000 http://www.theallstate.org/?p=1906#comment-610 This is a load of bull. What Dr. Goldstone completely failed to clarify is that rambling on is not done just by non-trads, but by traditional students as well. I can't count the number of times I've sat in class and listened to the mindless chit-chat and inane meanderings of younger students and wished they would simply shut up so we can go. It's hard enough being a non-trad at any university, but comments, "advice" (if that is what registers as advice remind me not to ask for any from her), and attempts to defend aforementioned "advice" from allegedly educated (and "enlightened") professors does NOTHING to the open environment that a university is suppose to represent. Indeed, it breaks it down and can foster an intolerant environment for non-trads. 40% of the campus is made up of non-traditional students, but apparently we're suppose to just keep quiet and be thankful that we're simply permitted to show up on campus and sit at the feet of such learned individuals and take in all they say without so much as a how-do-you-do. I suppose I should be complimented. Perhaps Dr. Goldstone just doesn't want to have to defend her beliefs and attitudes to people her age or older who have actually lived outside the ivory towers of education. This way she can just seem like the all-knowing professor to a bunch of 18-22yr olds who may feel too intimidated to enter into discussion or debate. Intolerance. Wow, I never thought I would have to face that from someone like Dr. Goldstone. Hey, but don't worry about apologizing now. The moment's passed. This is a load of bull. What Dr. Goldstone completely failed to clarify is that rambling on is not done just by non-trads, but by traditional students as well. I can’t count the number of times I’ve sat in class and listened to the mindless chit-chat and inane meanderings of younger students and wished they would simply shut up so we can go.

It’s hard enough being a non-trad at any university, but comments, “advice” (if that is what registers as advice remind me not to ask for any from her), and attempts to defend aforementioned “advice” from allegedly educated (and “enlightened”) professors does NOTHING to the open environment that a university is suppose to represent. Indeed, it breaks it down and can foster an intolerant environment for non-trads.

40% of the campus is made up of non-traditional students, but apparently we’re suppose to just keep quiet and be thankful that we’re simply permitted to show up on campus and sit at the feet of such learned individuals and take in all they say without so much as a how-do-you-do. I suppose I should be complimented. Perhaps Dr. Goldstone just doesn’t want to have to defend her beliefs and attitudes to people her age or older who have actually lived outside the ivory towers of education. This way she can just seem like the all-knowing professor to a bunch of 18-22yr olds who may feel too intimidated to enter into discussion or debate.

Intolerance. Wow, I never thought I would have to face that from someone like Dr. Goldstone.

Hey, but don’t worry about apologizing now. The moment’s passed.

]]> By: ----- http://www.theallstate.org/2009/11/04/non-trad-student-professor-reply-to-students-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-485 ----- Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:18:59 +0000 http://www.theallstate.org/?p=1906#comment-485 It seems like McCasland has a point. While it's clear you have a good relationship with your non-trads in your classroom, your response to the original question seemed a little thoughtless. If you do have so much respect for the students, it does show as clearly as you seem to think in your response. Fortunately it sounds like you do respect all your students, so ultimately the threat to the University's non-trad population has ended... hopefully the traditional students see both perspectives and decided to respect everyone in their classes. It seems like McCasland has a point. While it’s clear you have a good relationship with your non-trads in your classroom, your response to the original question seemed a little thoughtless. If you do have so much respect for the students, it does show as clearly as you seem to think in your response. Fortunately it sounds like you do respect all your students, so ultimately the threat to the University’s non-trad population has ended… hopefully the traditional students see both perspectives and decided to respect everyone in their classes.

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