by Raven Lebeau

Created on: April 30, 2008

"They don't teach us anything practical in school! We're never gonna use this! Teachers don't understand what it's like in the real world! They don't teach me anything that helps in life!" whine the students. And I don't mean little children, or even teenagers. Students of all ages, from five to ninety five spout these lines ad nauseum. My intention here is not to condemn such students, merely to point out that such unappreciative accusations become a self-fulfilling prophecy. By failing to show appreciation for teachers, they drive off many of the instructors who actually do use their academic knowledge to make the world a better place through their contributions, make a living (or perhaps even a killing) in the world of finance, or both.

My arguments consists of two concrete examples.

The first such example is my husband, a doctoral level chemist who works in the pharmaceutical industry. The community college courses he teaches at night are a source of extra income for us, and sometimes they even appear to be a labor of love. He works hard at teaching and he knows the material inside and out. That makes him pretty much Joe Average Teacher. What differentiates him is the fact that in his pharmaceutical career, he uses the actual facts, formulas, skills, ideas, and concepts from the classes he teaches. He knows exactly how the basic principles of chemistry apply to drug metabolism, synthesis, stability, solubility, and safety. He can tell you a hundred reasons why anyone working in pharmaceuticals absolutely must know the material. Better yet, he can extend those applications to other fields like medicine, dentistry, and nursing. Because most of his students are working toward a career in health care, they soon learn that "when are we ever gonna use this?" is a question with innumerable answers.

Many of the students appreciate what my husband has to offer, but there have been those who do not. A bitter, miserable person who makes the mistake or trying to work full time, raise children, and attend college will often blame the instructor's "unreasonable" (read: "standard") expectations. That student spreads his or her vitriol around, making the classroom atmosphere unpleasant for everyone.

There have been several semesters when my husband wanted to quit teaching. I've talked him out of it each time, partly because I feel he truly does make a contribution, and partly because I know how happy it makes him to have that added financial security. However, with him

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