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Member LoginAren’t They Still Our Kids?
Friday, September 15, 2006
By Jim Van WingerdenAt a summer PASSPORT session a while back a dad commented, “These PASSPORT sessions are helpful but I’m starting to resent hearing you and others here at the college continually referring to ‘your student.’ They aren’t our STUDENTS, they are our KIDS! They are YOUR students! Can’t they still be OUR kids?” The chuckles that echoed in the auditorium lead me to believe that his comment had struck a nerve with several other parents in the room.
I heard that dad’s comment loud and clear. My oldest is already in 11th grade and I too am beginning to lament the inevitable passage from home to college. That lament is universal for all parents. Even though we as parents are excited for our sons and daughters as they embark on this rite of passage called college, we still mourn as they become increasingly independent from mom and dad.
Learning styles and teaching styles; sometimes they match, sometimes . . .
Thursday, September 14, 2006
By Jim Van WingerdenI recently exchanged e-mails with the parent of a first-year student. The student was adjusting well to college and to academics but was frustrated with the teaching style of a particular professor. The parent reported that the student talked to the prof about his frustration but received the message that the teaching style would essentially remain the same.
The parent was seeking advise as to how to handle this situation with the student--is there another course of action when a student feels he is not making progress with a professor. Let me share my response:
Another Blog?
By Jim Van WingerdenAnother blog? The Internet is inundated with blogs and bloggers so why yet another? And does this blogger have the TIME to blog on this new site? Both very good questions.
I’m not sure about the question of having time to blog--time will tell on that score. Here’s a thought or two as to “Why yet another blog?” As parent relations director at Calvin College I engage in a lot of telephone and e-mail conversations each week. Conversations with Calvin parents. Conversations with Calvin staff and faculty members. On occasion I find that the content of some of these conversations might be helpful to others.