For the past month, I have been teaching up at the University. It was only for a month, which looking back at I am glad it was only for a short period of time. It was a good experience though, and I would consider doing it again.
I was teaching the Screen and Media 101 course, just running a lab/workshop. I had to teach the different groups how to use the Apple Macintosh computers (quite flash ones too, the department purchased 10 new Apple iMacs), and get them using Photoshop, just the basic functions. I didn’t think it would be that hard. It was not really, just that I guess a bunch of 17-18 years olds are at a certain stage in their lives, and don’t always choose to be on their “best behaviour”.
Most of the groups I had were good. They listened and did the work which was presented to them. I only have one really terrible one, where all but three people just walked out of the class by 11.20 (the class started at 11.00 and ran for an hour). After speaking to their actual tutor, I discovered that they were just a bit of a stroppy bunch, and believed that they knew how to do all of that stuff, so they didn’t think they needed to be there.
Needless to say, it was compulsory to attend, and you gained 5% if you attended the lab classes. Unfortunately for them, they also lose 5% off their final mark if they do not attend.
It was a very different experience, really. Demonstrating things to a group of people can be really daunting, actually. There was not much response from any of the people a lot of the time, and that was a bit strange. Although I knew I was doing okay, because a handful of people always said “Thank you, I learnt something today”, and that is supremely gratifying.
Interesting. I pretty much never answer teachers questions at school, which I guess must actually be pretty annoying. Especially since, in some subjects (physics) I almost always know the answer. Perhaps I should be more considerate of my teachers, let then know that someone is actually listening…
At least at a university if they walk out it’s their loss, simple as that. And in the defense of 17-18 year olds, we’re not all bad. Just most of us…
The weirdest thing is going through all the blogs I read and finding our one there, very cool.
I’ve had a couple of situations where I’m teaching other people, but in all those times the other people have been keen as mustard to learn so I’ve never had problems. Whenever I’m learning I try to be good, but I probably speak out too often and challenge what they are saying or ask a question that they are going to answer next so they talk faster.
I’m an impatient learner.
Sounds like you had an experience there Aimee, do you think you will do it again?
Hey guys! I haven’t posted in a while and feel like procrastinating, so yeah..
It’s a wild generalisation, but I think most of these ‘kids’ (ahem) are pretty young and believe that they know pretty much all they need to know to get by. The sad truth is for these guys is that they will soon realise that they don’t. The first year of university is one helluva learning experience, and an exercise in making choices. Some make the right ones and some don’t. But they all learn.. Or at least I’d hope. Yeah, don’t know what my point is really. Oh, btw, I have a blog which I’m updating regularly-ish. Check it out if you’re interested.. It’s http://koreaori.wordpress.com/.
Laters..
Chang Hyun Choi