Volume 44, Issue 8. Today is
Showing favor hurts students
Everyday exceptions are made in classrooms and some students see a pattern in this so-called “special treatment.”
What does it take to be granted the extra time for assignments, the big promotion or the edge on the law?
“Goody-goodies get what they want most of the time. Then again, they try get on the teacher’s good side and asking for special favors all of the time doesn’t get you there. I have seen male teachers make special exceptions for girls like making up tests late. It always seems to be attractive girls. I’ve gotten away with things too, though. It might just be that the student with the best excuse gets the grade,” said Nate Judd, a student at MCC.
Madison Jansen, a student of Scottsdale Community College, agrees.
‘Of course the teacher’s pet is going to get the upper hand with the teacher. But its athletes that are given ridiculous privileges. I kind of understand because they travel a lot, but at the same time, teachers jump through hoops making sure athletes don’t fail or fall behind. That shouldn’t be a teacher’s prerogative even if it is the quarterback of the football team. No one else sees that kind of attention,” Jansen said.
MCC English department instructor, Juli Henshaw, said that it is true that some teachers make exceptions.
“It depends on life experiences. Teachers, like all other people, are the sum of their experiences. I’m going to treat people based on what I’ve learned and others will do the same,” Henshaw said.
Donald Welsh, an MCC business department instructor, said most professors will make exceptions for a certain type of student. These students are the ones with different challenges, whether they be mental or physical, he said.“Some students do have limitations. That’s just reality. But my philosophy is that everyone has a learning disability because everyone’s brain works differently. You need to figure out how your brain works and deal with it And I’m not going to be helping someone if I am making exceptions because most people are in college for a career and in the workforce, these people won’t be given those exceptions.” Henshaw said.
“In my class, I teach business and law and I teach that every law or rule has an exception. So I make exceptions for these kids. Just a matter of practice. From a practical viewpoint, school is a small part of many people’s lives. It’s not going to be priority; they have jobs, they have kids, they have problems,” Welsh said.
Sometimes special treatment is blatant and offensive, though, and some teachers cross the line, Judd said.