And so it begins...

School is now in session. Monday was the first day of class. It's nice to be back up here with everyone, but I wish I had a break from classes. You see, I took 3 classes during the summer. Oh well. At least, I'm 3 classes closer to graduating.

I noticed in one of my large classes something about...well, everyone. It seems students have become conditioned to doing one thing and only one thing during a class lecture: copy whatever is up on the board or projection screen. We are not required to listen or think because everything we hear or would think about is already up there for us to see and copy down into our notebooks. So my teacher started just flying through the notes. I mean, he would just skip over 5 slides all together. Then he would pause on one to explain it, only to then say, "That definition is too long, so just ignore it." When the teacher said that, about a third of the class groaned, as if saying, "What? You mean I copied all that down for nothing? Who are you?"

But the real problem lies in the system. Students today have learned that they no longer have to pay attention because the teacher will provide them with slides or notes of what was lectured. [Is "lectured" a word? I guess so. Well I just used it, so there.] And when a teacher does not do so, we are let down; we are disappointed in--or perhaps angry at--the teacher, as if they had done something wrong.

What students need to know is simple: IF THE TEACHER WANTS YOU TO KNOW IT, HE/SHE WILL TEACH IT. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. You'll have the occasional teacher who doesn't seem to actually teach anything, but just talks for 50 minutes. That's not what I mean. We, the student body of America, are no longer able to decifer what is being taught.

I challenge you: if you are a student, then step up to the plate and pay attention in class. I know it's tempting to skip or daydream, but let's get in there and stop wasting our (or our parents') money. LEARN HOW TO LEARN! Let's fix the system from the inside out.