Bartholomae speaks of professors needing to aid the students, but I believe it should be the other way around. I understand that professors could work a little harder for better communication with students, but as students we need to have the initiative to do some things on our own. When we graduate college we won't have someone there to help us along the way. We are on our own. Our future bosses won't be able to "Invent the workplace" for us, so why start with the coddling now? I believe it's a good experience.
Have I ever had to "Invent the University?" The answer, yes.
When I started college as a freshman in the fall of 2011, I was not sure what I would find the first day. I was nervous, excited, and worried. College and high school are on two very different wavelengths. I was unsure if I would have the same positive communication with my professors as I did my high school teachers. I quickly learned that in college it is up to me to get my assignments done. The professors weren't going to nag me about them until I turned them in, either I did them or I didn't. If I didn't come to class no one was going to call my parents and tell them I wasn't present that day. I realized that the only person who it negatively affects if I don't come to class, is myself. I found this out extremely early on in my History 203 class.
My History 203 professor is a very smart man. He knows everything there is to know about History. He had a straight forward way of explaining history. The one thing not straight forward about his course was what expected of me. No one knew until about the second week of class that he would not be taking attendance, but I quickly realized that if I missed one class I would be missing out on an entire era of history. Little did I know that the only points you received in class were on the tests. If I did poorly on one test it might negatively affect my final grade. The way I had to "Invent the University" in his class was through trial and error. He was not a professor that would communicate with me on a regular basis so I had to wait until after the first test to see what he wanted from me in the form of information on the tests. After the first test passed I finally understood what was needed to receive a good grade on the tests.
In the end I did well in the class but it was like pulling teeth trying to find out what my professor wanted from me in the beginning. I'm glad that I had this experience because it has made me more assertive in trying to find out what my professors want from me. I realize now that my professors want me to succeed but the success isn't going to be handed to me on a silver platter. Having to "Invent the University" affected me in a way that made me more independent in my classes. This is an important skill to have because I don't know when I'm going to get another professor like my History professor. I want to do well in college and to have a successful life and career and that begins with being an assertive person, which is what I learned in having to "Invent the University."
I think it's important for all students to have to go through this process because then they can fully appreciate when they have professors that are good communicators. No matter where you go to school you will always have to deal with all different kinds of professors. If you have the skills necessary to handle them in a way that will help you, it can only bring out the good in a college experience.
Have a lovely day, always remember to stop and enjoy the sunshine.
~Kelsey
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