Message To My Freshman Analysis

In response to teaching his first freshman class in years, Keith Parsons, am old fashioned, often condescending professor at University of Houston-Clear Lake, writes an article entitled “Message to My Freshman Students." The purpose of this article is to lecture incoming freshmen on the differences between high school and college, specifically, in how they are taught and how they learn. Parsons believes that students do not understand the logistics of a college education. In his opinion, students have spent their formative years learning in an incorrect manner, too focused on testing than anything else. He views it as his job to educate freshmen, and to “welcome [them] to higher education." The audience of this article is clearly incoming freshmen, both Parson’s own, and those within the greater american education system.
Parsons begins his writing with a recounting of his experience as a freshman professor. He claims to be impressed by his student’s willingness to learn. However, the first paragraph becomes increasingly pompous and dismissive of how students hay have been taught to …show more content…
Parsons seems almost eager to separate himself from high school teachers, asserting, “I am your professor, not your teacher. There is a difference." Aside from being slightly aggressive in tone, this statement immediately draws the line between Parsons’ ideas on two very different types of education. He goes on to explain that while “teachers” are obligated to ensure that their students are learning (apparently motivated by nothing more than keeping their job), as a professor, “It is no part of [his] job to make [students] learn." Parsons then employs the stale metaphor of leading his students to the, “fountain of knowledge." Why should Parsons, or any other professor for that matter, care if a student learns? They will not be penalized for it, so really, what is the