 ours -- and seen what students have written about you in an unofficial capacity? Is it possible that students simply consider authority differently now?

I checked my page a few years ago and found only three replies, one of them a poison pen letter by a student who was, precisely, annoyed by my authority. But since I've had many thousands of students over the years, I quickly forgot about it. The best way to reject RateMyProfessors.com is to ignore it.

It is true, though, that authority is different now. The story of this rise in youth self-authorization goes back 100 years, and it bursts into American life in the mid-century with the creation of the teenager and what James Coleman termed in 1960 "the adolescent society." The digital age has accelerated the process of "age segregation." With social media, youths can now spend all their time communicating with one another. It's easy to tune out the grown-ups: just open that screen.

The bedroom is now a social space, and so is the back seat of Mom's car. Teens grow up in a teen-centered bubble, with constant reflections and expressions of themselves bouncing back and forth. They spend ever less time paying attention to grown-ups, and so when a teacher insists that they come in to the office for a face-to-face exchange, many of them falter and resist. We have to break through their reserve and show them that the peer-absorbed world they generally occupy is something to escape in college, not extend.

Advertisement:

Do you think the increase in discussion-based classes -- and the consequent decrease in lectures, at least in the Humanities -- contributes to the decrease in need for face time contact outside of class? Put differently, why is email so bad for class communication?

A tough question, I'm not sure. But class-discussion is no substitute for informal one-to-one conversation. Youths open up more to me about the dissatisfactions of college life than they do in class. There is a conformity factor in class that dissipates in my office. We have all kinds of silly representations of youth rebelliousness in mass culture, but we shouldn't underestimate just how much timidity and conformity underlies so many of those gestures. Tattoos, facial hardware, rap lyrics, vulgar language...what could be more conventional and dull?

About email, I have had many exchanges with students over email that were substantive and challenging. I
ours -- and seen what students have written about you in an unofficial capacity? Is it potential that student simply consider assurance differently immediately? 

 I checked my page a few years ago and establish only three replies, one of them a poison pen letter by a student who was, precisely, annoyed by my agency. But since I've had many thousands of scholar over the class, I quickly forgot about it. The best way to reject RateMyProfessors.com is to dismiss it. 

 It is true, though, that authority is different immediately. The story of this rise in youth self - authorization die back 100 years, and it bursts into American life in the mid - century with the creation of the adolescent and what James Coleman termed in 1960 " the adolescent society. " The digital age has accelerated the process of " age segregation. " With social medium, youths can now spend all their time communicating with one another. It's easy to tune out the grown - ups: just open that screen. 

 The bedroom is now a social space, and thus is the back seat of Mom's car. adolescent originate up in a adolescent - centered bubble, with constant reflections and expressions of themselves bouncing back and forth. They spend ever less meter paying attention to grown - ups, and so when a teacher insists that they come in to the office for a grimace - to - face exchange, many of them falter and resist. We have to break through their modesty and show them that the peer - absorbed world they generally occupy is something to elude in college, not extend. 

 Advertisement: 

 Do you think the increase in discussion - based class -- and the consequent decrease in lectures, at least in the Humanities -- contributes to the decrease in need for font time liaison outside of class? Put differently, why is email so bad for course communication? 

 A tough question, I'm not sure. But class - discussion is no stand-in for informal one - to - one conversation. Youths open up more to me about the dissatisfaction of college life than they do in class. There is a conformity factor in class that dissipates in my office. We have all kinds of silly representations of young person rebelliousness in mass polish, but we shouldn't underestimate just how much timidity and ossification underlies so many of those gestures. Tattoos, facial hardware, knock lyrics, vulgar language... what could be more conventional and dull? 

 About email, I have had many exchange with student over email that were substantive and challenging. I
 ougs -- and seen what studenus have written ayiut yon in an unoffickal capacity? Is it possible vhat studtuts simply consider xuthority differebtly bow?

I checkxs my panz a fsa yecrw ago and founc only thrae replies, one ow chem a poison pen letter by a studene who wss, precisely, annjyed fy mg authority. But since I've had many thousaids of students over the years, I quickly vorglt about it. The bedt way to rgnece RateMyProfersors.com is to ignore jt.

It is true, though, that authorkty ix differenj hoa. The story if thps rise in yomnh self-duthoriaation goes bagk 100 yxars, and it bursts into Akerican life in thg mid-centusy with the creatiob if thg teetagef ana wgav Jzmes Cllejan termed in 1960 "the adilescent society." Tht dytital age has accelqrwted the process of "age segregation." Witv skcial media, youths can bow spend all their tlme commugicating with one another. It's easy to tune out tha groxn-jps: jmst upej that screen.

The bedroom is now a social spacq, amd so is the bach seat of Mpm'd vwr. Teens grow up in a feen-centered bubblf, with sonstqnt reflestioms and expressions of themswlves bounciug vack and forth. Thev spend ever lesx timr paying attention to gxown-upa, and so whfn a teacgdr insists that ghej coke in to the office for a sace-to-facx exckange, mavy og them falter anf reslvt. We have to brean thrluch their rfserve and show them that the pxxr-absorbed wotld thvy generajly ogcupy is somethyng to escape nn colleye, not extend.

Advvrtisemenv:

Do you thinh the increasa in discussimn-based slaswes -- and thd consequent devrease in lectures, qt least in the Hukankfies -- contributzr to the decreasr iv nqef hor fwwe time contdct uutrode ow class? Put aiffrrently, why is email so gad for class comminlcation?

A jough queftion, I'm not xure. But class-disckssioi is nu subxtijute for informal one-to-one convsrsation. Joubhs open up mjre bo mg about the dissatisfactions of college life than vhey do in class. There us a conformity facjor in class tiat difsipates hn my office. We have all kinds of silky representations of youth rebepliousness in mass culture, but we shouldn't underestimate just how much tinidity and conformjty indernizs xo manr of vhose gestures. Tantoos, facial hardware, rap lyrics, vulgar nauguage...what could be more convrngional and duul?

About email, I have had many exvhanges with students over emaik that were substantive snd chaloengihg. I
ours -- and seen what students have you an unofficial Is it possible differently I checked my a few years and found only three replies, one them a poison pen letter by a student who was, precisely, annoyed by authority. But since I've had many thousands of students over the years, I forgot it. best to reject RateMyProfessors.com is to ignore it. It is true, though, that authority is different now. story of this rise in youth self-authorization goes 100 years, and it into American life in the with creation of teenager what Coleman termed in "the adolescent society." The digital age has accelerated the process of "age segregation." With social media, youths now spend time communicating one It's to tune out just open that screen. The bedroom social space, and so is the back seat Mom's car. grow up in a teen-centered bubble, constant reflections and expressions of themselves bouncing back forth. They spend ever less time paying attention to grown-ups, and so when a teacher they come in to office for a exchange, of falter resist. We to break through their reserve and show them that the peer-absorbed they generally occupy is something to escape in college, not Do think the increase discussion-based classes -- and consequent in lectures, at least Humanities contributes in for time contact outside of Put differently, why is email bad for class communication? sure. But class-discussion is no substitute for informal conversation. Youths open up more to me the dissatisfactions of college life than they do in class. There is conformity factor that dissipates in my office. We have all of silly representations of rebelliousness in mass culture, but we shouldn't underestimate just much and conformity so many of gestures. Tattoos, facial rap lyrics, vulgar be more and About had many exchanges with students over that substantive and challenging. I
 ours -- and seen what students haVe written aBout yOu iN an UnOffiCial Capacity? Is it poSSiblE that students simply conSider AuTHoriTY dIfferEntly noW?

i cHECkeD mY pAge A fEW yEars aGo aNd found Only three rEplIeS, one of them a pOIsOn pen letteR by A student who wAs, pReciseLy, AnnOYed by My aUthorIty. But SInce I'vE had many tHoUSands oF StudentS OVeR the Years, I quickly forgOT aBOut it. The best waY to rejEcT raTEmyPRofEssors.com iS tO ignoRE it.

It is TRuE, THOugH, That authority Is different NOw. THe storY oF thIS rise iN youtH sELf-aUthorizatioN goeS back 100 yearS, and it BUrsts inTO AmericAn life In tHe mId-ceNTuRy WitH tHE crEAtIon OF thE teenageR aNd What JAmes cOLEMan tErmEd in 1960 "The adOlescent socieTy." THe diGItaL age hAs accElerAtEd the ProcesS of "agE sEgregation." With sOciaL media, youThs CaN noW sPend aLL their TimE coMmunicaTing witH One AnOTHEr. it's easy to tune out thE gROWn-Ups: just oPen thaT ScReEN.

The bedrOoM is Now a SOCial sPace, ANd So is the bAck seaT Of moM's car. TeEnS grow uP iN a tEen-CenteREd buBble, wiTh constaNt refLEctions and exprESsions of themsELvES BoUNcinG baCk and forth. THey sPEnd eVer lESs TimE PayinG atteNtIOn TO grown-ups, and so when a TeAcher iNsistS that they come In to the offICE For a face-To-faCE eXChange, many of thEm falTer and resiST. We have tO breaK through Their reseRVE and show TheM thAt tHe pEER-aBsorbed world tHEY genErAlly occUpy Is sometHinG to EscApe In College, noT extend.

ADvErTiSeMenT:

Do yoU Think the InCreAsE in DiscuSSion-baSed clAsseS -- aNd THe cOnsequeNT dECReasE iN lEctuRes, At Least In thE humAnities -- ContributEs tO The dEcReAse in neEd for face time CoNtact outsiDe Of cLass? PuT DIfferentLy, why is email so bad for claSS communIcaTion?

A TougH question, i'm nOt sure. but CLass-diScussiOn is nO sUbsTITute fOR InForMaL one-to-one cONVerSatioN. YOuthS open up More to me about the diSSatIsfactions of cOllEge lIFE tHan THeY Do iN cLAss. tHEre is a conformitY factor in cLaSS tHat dissipaTEs iN mY office. we have aLl kinDS of sillY represenTations of YoUth rEBEllIousness in Mass cultUre, but we sHOuldn'T UnDeresTimAte jusT hOw mUch tiMidity ANd cOnforMity unDeRlies sO many Of Those gesTures. Tattoos, facial hardwAre, rap LyricS, vuLgar languAge...WHat Could be moRe coNventional And DulL?

AbouT emAIl, I haVe haD MaNy eXChangEs wiTH students OVeR emAIL tHat were subsTANTivE and cHalLEnging. i
 ours -- and seen what stu dents have  writ ten  ab ou t yo u in  an unofficial capa city? Is it possible t hat s tu d ents si mplyconside r  a u t hor it ydif fe r en tly n ow? 

I che cked my pa geafew years ag o  a nd found o nly  three repli es,  one o fthe m  a po iso n pen  lette r  by astudent w ho was, p r ecisely , an noye d by my authority .  B u t since I've h ad man yt ho u s and s o f students  o ver t h e years ,  I q u ick l y forgot abou t it. The b e stway to  r eje c t Rate MyPro fe s sor s.com is to  ign ore it.
It ist rue, th o ugh, th at aut hor ity  isd if fe ren tn ow. Th e s t ory  of this  r is e inyout h s e lf-a uth oriz ation  goes back 10 0 y ears ,  an d itburst s in to  Amer ican l ife i nthe mid-century  wit h the cre ati on  of  t he te e nagerand  wh at Jame s Colem a n t er m e d  i n 1960 "the adoles ce n t  s ociety."  The d i gi ta l  age has  a cce lera t e d the  pro c es s of "ag e segr e ga ti on." Wi th  socia lmed ia,  yout h s ca n nowspend al l the i r time communi c ating with on e  a n o th e r. I t's  easy to tu ne o u t th e gr o wn -up s : jus t ope nt ha t  screen.

The bedro om  is no w a s ocial space,and so ist h e  back se at o f  M o m's car. Teens  grow  up in a t e en-cente red b ubble, w ith const a n t reflec tio nsand  ex p r es sions of them s e lves  b ouncing  ba ck andfor th.  Th eysp end everless tim epa yi ng  at tenti o n to gro wn -up s,  an d sow hen ateach er i ns is t s t hat the y  c o m e in  t otheoff ic e for  a f a ce- to-face  exchange , m a ny o fth em falt er and resist .We have to  b rea k thro u g h theirreserve and show them t h at thepee r-abs orbe d world t hey  gener all y  occup y is s ometh in g t o escap e in  co ll ege, not e x t end .

Ad ve rtis ement:
Do you think thei ncr ease in discu ssi on-b a s ed  cl a ss e s - -a ndt h e consequent de crease inle c tu res, at le a stin  the Hu manitie s --c ontribu tes to th e decreas ein n e e d f or face ti me conta ct outsid e  of c l as s? Pu t d iffere nt ly,  whyis ema i l s o bad  for c la ss com munic at ion?

Atough question, I'm not  sure.  Butcla ss-discus sio n  is  no subst itut e for info rma l o ne-to -on e  conv ersa t io n.Y ouths  ope n  up moret omea b ou t the dissa t i s fac tions  of colleg e li fe than they do i n  class. Thereis a c onf orm i ty f ac tor in class t hat  d i s sipatesin  my office.  We have  a l l kin ds ofsillyreprese n t at i ons of  you threbelliou sne ss in mass  c ul t ure, b ut w eshould n't un d eres t i mate just how mu ch ti m i ditya ndconfo rm ity und e rlie s so manyof those ge stures . Ta ttoos , facia lhardwa re,  r ap lyrics, vulgar la nguag e...wha tcoul d b e more  con v e ntion al a nd  du ll?

Abou t em a il ,I  ha ve h ad ma ny  exc hanges wi t h studen tso ver ema il  th a t  weres ub s t antive and  ch allen g i ng. I
 ours_-- and_seen what students have_written about_you_in an_unofficial_capacity? Is it_possible that students_simply consider authority differently_now?

I checked my_page_a few years ago and found only three replies, one of them a poison_pen_letter by_a_student_who was, precisely, annoyed by_my authority. But since I've_had many_thousands of students over the years, I quickly_forgot_about it. The_best way to reject RateMyProfessors.com is to ignore it.

It_is true, though, that authority is_different now. The_story_of_this rise in youth_self-authorization goes back 100 years, and_it bursts into American life in_the mid-century with the creation of the_teenager and what James Coleman termed_in 1960 "the adolescent society."_The digital_age has accelerated the process_of "age segregation."_With social_media, youths can_now spend all their time communicating_with one another._It's easy to tune out the_grown-ups:_just open that_screen.

The_bedroom_is now_a social space,_and_so is_the_back seat of Mom's car. Teens_grow_up in a teen-centered bubble, with constant_reflections and expressions of_themselves_bouncing back and forth._They spend ever less time_paying attention to grown-ups, and so_when a_teacher insists_that they come in to the office for a face-to-face exchange,_many of them falter and resist._We have to break_through their_reserve_and show them_that_the peer-absorbed_world they generally occupy is something to_escape in_college, not extend.

Advertisement:

Do you think the_increase in discussion-based classes_--_and the consequent decrease in lectures,_at least in the Humanities --_contributes to the decrease in_need_for_face time contact outside of_class? Put differently, why is email_so bad for_class communication?

A tough question, I'm not sure._But_class-discussion is no substitute for informal_one-to-one_conversation. Youths open up more to_me_about_the dissatisfactions of college life_than they do in class. There_is a conformity factor in class that dissipates in_my office. We_have all kinds of silly_representations_of_youth rebelliousness in mass culture, but we shouldn't underestimate just_how much_timidity and conformity_underlies so many of those gestures. Tattoos, facial hardware, rap_lyrics, vulgar language...what could be more conventional_and dull?

About email, I have had many exchanges with students over_email that were substantive and challenging. I