Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!sri-spam!ames!sdcsvax!ucsdhub!esosun!seismo!uunet!mcvax!cernvax!cgch!wgtr
From: wgtr@cgch.UUCP (Graham Tritt)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: Ph.D.'s and Teaching
Summary: differences between tech school and uni
Message-ID: <576@cgchb.cgch.UUCP>
Date: 27 Jan 88 11:45:24 GMT
References: <2144@uvacs.CS.VIRGINIA.EDU> <115@mccc.UUCP> <3469@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu> <1759@rayssd.RAY.COM> <126@mccc.UUCP> <794@altura.srcsip.UUCP> <134@mccc.UUCP>
Reply-To: wgtr@cgchb.UUCP (Graham Tritt)
Organization: CIBA-GEIGY AG, FO/WIRZ/WRZ, CH-4002 Basle, Switzerland
Lines: 32

As a student following my first degree, I was supporting myself by teaching
in several places. (This was in Australia)

Tutoring beginning maths students at uni was tough - they were lazy,
wanted to be fed on a plate, suffered from peer pressures about asking
questions.  

A similar level course (i.e. beginning calculus level) at the local tech
college was much more stimulating for these students.  I had to really keep on
my toes.  The average age was higher (22-30) and they were agressively
tryng to learn what they knew they needed. (they paid for their courses)

I think I did both of these jobs well. At the same time I was trying to
teach maths to 13-15 year olds at a private school (no teacher training
was required).  I did very badly.  I couldn't keep discipline (at the Uni
I didn't have to care, and at the Tech I didn't need to). It was a pity
that half of my energy had to go into organisational problems rather
than content, but most schools had these problems.  

With teacher's training, or now with more maturity, I think I would have 
much fewer problems in the school.

There were also interesting teachability differences between school classes
of low, middle and high abilities and by age ... educators will know more
than I if you want to know more.
                                                        __________ 
    Graham D. Tritt                                     |   ______|__
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