What is Professionalism? | The Blogora

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What is Professionalism?

Submitted by Adria on October 30, 2009 - 10:27am

I love my students, I do. But I also struggle with the ways in which some of them choose to communicate with me or with my colleagues. The conversations in the grad offices often circle around how to remain firm but compassionate toward students who are disrespectful to instructors. We tell ourselves that the disrespectful student is one in a million. But is that number increasing?

Inside HigherEd explores this issue (and what colleges are/should be doing about it) after a new study from York College of Pennsylvania reported that today’s college graduates do not exhibit as much professionalism as their employers expect of them.

What constitutes professionalism? Is this issue even an issue? Is it restricted to college grads or is it more reflective of societal values at large? (Unfortunately, not all graduate students and professors are respectful to students)

The part about personal responsibility and work ethic hits home; but the part about tattoos and piercings makes me giggle.

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the petulant demand

Submitted by slewfoot on October 30, 2009 - 8:27pm.

SCENE: Class last Friday. 181 students. 125 showed.

LATE STUDENT (L8S): "I need a bubble sheet."

PROFESSOR (TEACH): "I'm sorry, but you know the rules. No bubble sheets after the quiz has started."

L8S: "But, it's 12:30. I'm not late."

TEACH: "I'm sorry."

L8S: [hurumph! Slings backpack, storms out, slams auditorium door]

_____

SCENE: After class last Friday.

L8S: "I just want to apologize for being late today, but I was here at 12:30."

TA: "Actually it was 12:32 by the clock, you were late."

TEACH: "That's right. You know the policy. You get to drop three quizzes, so this can be one of your three. We're all late every now and again. I'm late too."

L8S: "But, I gave you an letter at the start of the semester for my disability."

TEACH: "You've never asked for anything until today; your letter does not cover lateness."

L8S: "And then people have the swine flu."

TEACH: "What would you like me to do?"

L8S: "Let me take the quiz, because I really was on time."

TEACH: "I'm sorry, but all the quiz answers have been given in lecture."

L8S: [starts to storm out of the auditorium]

TEACH: "And you know, making a scene in front of 125 students is really rude."

L8S: "WELL, YOU'RE RUDE FOR NOT LETTING ME TAKE THE QUIZ!"

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Submitted by Jim Aune on October 30, 2009 - 1:16pm.

Since I teach at A&M, which is in a sort of time-warp, I would say that the vast majority of my students display "professional" skills. They don't read as much as they should, have difficulty following directions sometimes, and often live in a cultural bubble, but they are respectful and self-disciplined. The spoiled brats I used to teach at St. Olaf (early 1990's) were the very worst students I've had in terms of professionalism, and I wonder if there isn't some overlap in character with your average entitled frat boy/sorority chick at t.u. The entitled really do look down on professors as "not our class."

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