tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827968588643415787.post2838779435314081796..comments2024-03-27T06:58:00.659-05:00Comments on Balancing Jane: Students are Not Customers Redux, Now With More LinksMichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07801229525416203656noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827968588643415787.post-59698828347224576182013-04-13T19:55:03.032-05:002013-04-13T19:55:03.032-05:00I think it definitely can smack of that elitism, e...I think it definitely can smack of that elitism, especially when the people saying it imply (or outright state) that someone can't get that kind of fulfillment and self-knowledge in non-traditional educational paths or outside of the ivory tower. <br /><br /><br />I absolutely do not believe that college is the only path to being an intelligent, fulfilled person. I do think, though, that it is a path to fulfillment (and it was certainly MY path to a much fuller, more engaging life). When we frame it as a commodity to be purchased, I think that we cut off a lot of the opportunities for it to fill that role, especially when that "customer service" model rears its head in the classroom.Michelle (Balancing Jane)http://www.balancingjane.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827968588643415787.post-85838474878328480102013-04-13T19:45:34.309-05:002013-04-13T19:45:34.309-05:00Your previous post said it all: you don't want...Your previous post said it all: you don't want your teacher to think of you as a customer, because that will mean your teacher is an undervalued employee who has to be polite to you but secretly hates you. The "smart people" quotes, though...meh. As far as I can tell, the main thing college instills in people who believe it's giving them "life training" and "capacities of knowledge and understanding" and teaching them how to "know thyself" is...a sense of superiority towards the non-college-educated.Pissed Off Womanhttp://pissedoffwoman.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827968588643415787.post-67669162698180169632013-04-07T08:53:06.094-05:002013-04-07T08:53:06.094-05:00This is such an important topic. Thanks for defend...This is such an important topic. Thanks for defending education as a process!Ashleighnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827968588643415787.post-37654875461599195062013-04-03T08:46:43.754-05:002013-04-03T08:46:43.754-05:00Absolutely! I especially agree with the fear that ...Absolutely! I especially agree with the fear that turning education into a product removes critical thinking and turns us into a delivery system for the status quo. I was shocked to see so many people defending this rhetorical framework for education. I hope that my teachers haven't/don't view me as a customer because I would certainly feel cheated by that perspective.Michelle (Balancing Jane)http://www.balancingjane.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827968588643415787.post-1561664151083010112013-04-02T15:26:34.778-05:002013-04-02T15:26:34.778-05:00i've gotten behind and so haven't read the...i've gotten behind and so haven't read the previous post & comments yet - but i'm also surprised to hear that "students aren't customers" is a controversial topic. I'm glad to see examples here of students arguing for how that would diminish their education because they're right; it would. as you point out, treating students as customers takes the process and exploration out of education. more ominously, that presents a slippery slope to higher education becoming a vehicle for delivering the status quo in the form of a product that is dictated by administration, delivered by "teachers," and swallowed by customers. in other words, the business model in the classroom eliminates critical thinking--which is the whole point of higher education in the first place. scary.<br />also, i find it humorous that you apparently had some folks suggest you were shirking work by not treating your students as customers. delivering a product, including grades that were bought instead of earned, is way easier than engaging the true process of teaching as you've described it. by rejecting the customer model for students, you take a path more labor intensive, more worthy, and more necessary.deb werrleinnoreply@blogger.com