Comparing American with foreign students
From the Boston Globe:
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Teaching in college, especially one with a large international student My “C,’’ “D,’’ and “F’’ students this semester are almost exclusively American, while my students from India, China, and Latin America have – despite language barriers – generally written solid papers, excelled on exams, and become valuable class participants. . . Of course, it would be wrong to suggest that all American students are the same. I’ve taught many who were hardworking, talented, and deeply impressive. They listened intently, enriched class discussions, and never shied away from rewrites. At their best, American students marry knowledge and innovation, resulting in some astoundingly creative work. . . [AO: The writer, Kara Miller, makes a common mistake that it worth addressing. She assumes her typical American student’s performance should be similar to her typical foreign student’s performance. This is not necessarily an appropriate assumption. Miller describes how her foreign students go to great lengths to ensure that they understand the material and are prepared for and engage in class discussions. On the other hand, it seems, her average American student puts forward much less effort. But there may be a flaw at the root of her comparison. The typical foreign student in one of her classes is someone, whatever their level of intelligence, who has already gone to great lengths to get to her classroom. In other words, unlike her American students, her foreign students are representative of individuals who are willing to and have done much to have the opportunity to sit in her class. The equivalent of her typical American students may be individuals back in her foreign students’ country of origin. If those students are compared to their American counterparts, it is quite possible that the American students will outshine their foreign counterparts. This is a common mistake that shows up often when foreigners, where students or non-students, are compared to Americans.] |
population, has given me a stark – and unwelcome – illustration of how Americans’ work ethic often pales in comparison with their peers from overseas. Read the full opinion HERE.
