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I'm the Teacher, You're the Student: A Semester in the University Classroom
What is it really like to be a college professor in an American classroom today? An award-winning teacher with over twenty years of experience answers this question by offering an enlightening and entertaining behind-the-scenes view of a typical semester in his American history course. The unique result—part diary, part sustained reflection—recreates both the unstudied realities and intensely satisfying challenges that teachers encounter in university lecture halls.
From the initial selection of reading materials through the assignment of final grades to each student, Patrick Allitt reports with keen insight and humor on the rewards and frustrations of teaching students who often are unable to draw a distinction between the words "novel" and "book." Readers get to know members of the class, many of whom thrive while others struggle with assignments, plead for better grades, and weep over failures. Although Allitt finds much to admire in today's students, he laments their frequent lack of preparedness—students who arrive in his classroom without basic writing skills, unpracticed with reading assignments.
With sharp wit, a critical eye, and steady sympathy for both educators and students, I'm the Teacher, You're the Student examines issues both large and small, from the ethics of student-teacher relationships to how best to evaluate class participation and grade writing assignments. It offers invaluable guidance to those concerned with the state of higher education today, to young faculty facing the classroom for the first time, and to parents whose children are heading off to college.
From the initial selection of reading materials through the assignment of final grades to each student, Patrick Allitt reports with keen insight and humor on the rewards and frustrations of teaching students who often are unable to draw a distinction between the words "novel" and "book." Readers get to know members of the class, many of whom thrive while others struggle with assignments, plead for better grades, and weep over failures. Although Allitt finds much to admire in today's students, he laments their frequent lack of preparedness—students who arrive in his classroom without basic writing skills, unpracticed with reading assignments.
With sharp wit, a critical eye, and steady sympathy for both educators and students, I'm the Teacher, You're the Student examines issues both large and small, from the ethics of student-teacher relationships to how best to evaluate class participation and grade writing assignments. It offers invaluable guidance to those concerned with the state of higher education today, to young faculty facing the classroom for the first time, and to parents whose children are heading off to college.
256 pages, Paperback
First published July 27, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 10, 2016
I liked Allitt's lectures on Victorian Britain as part of the Great Courses series, so thought I'd check this one out. Others have described it as a "journal", but that sounds drier than I found the material; he goes through teaching an American History course that meets three times per week, with digressions to a senior citizen (adult ed) course he teaches for contrast, as well as study abroad as both instructor and student. If you're not a history fan, there's a lot that relates to most liberal arts instruction (selecting texts, cheating, papers/exams) -- for one thing he chooses theme music relevant for each lectures which plays until roll call is over (which he laments that the kids largely treat as muzak). If I had to pick a negative point, he's sometimes a bit stiff/formal, though never a prat, as our U. K. friends might put it. Even though I was able to score this one as a library book, a used copy at a modest price for those interested in his experience would be worthwhile. Definitely recommended.
December 18, 2015
Breezy but informative guide to teaching the humanities and social sciences in a university setting. Many of the concepts are applicable to teaching high school, although the expectations are higher and the number of assignments are fewer in a semester-long college course. Patrick Allitt is a renowned lecturer and educator (see his Great Courses class on teaching), so he gives useful advice. His recurring thesis is a wall of separation between teachers and counselors. You should be friendly toward students and compassionate, but only discuss the course materials with them. You are not their life coach, guidance counselor, or relationship guru. Allitt's strict approach may not sit well with all readers, and Allitt admits there are instances when the professor must let his/her guard down and help students in distress. Still, there is much to admire about Allitt's professional approach to education. He is didactic about course expectations and homework requirements, but he holds students accountable once he lays everything out. He provides useful examples of his history exams and paper assignments, so readers can see what they do or do not like about his approach. He is surprisingly enthusiastic about the use of multimedia, especially videos and slideshows, and the inclusion of fiction books in an underclassman history class — although he points out that not all students may enjoy the media, nor will all students know the difference between fiction and nonfiction. Allitt takes an aggressive stance toward student grammar errors, again a part of his belief that students must measure up to expectations or get out of the classroom. I wish he'd provided concrete strategies — books to read, courses to take — for teachers to become better literary critics. Similarly, Allitt provides few strategies for writing lecture notes or designing course structures in advance. In summary, Allitt's book is very helpful for people looking at a teaching career in the humanities or social sciences, although it could have gone into greater pedagogical detail.
August 28, 2016
This is an important book that will not have a big impact on a lot of people. To get something from the text, readers will need to be teachers who are not terribly new (I've been teaching for 8 years). You will not find advice or lesson plans or a how-to guide, which is why I say slightly more experienced educators. In the book, such teachers will recognize the problems and doubt the author feels, such as confrontational grade negotiators, texts that didn't work, and lesson plans that weren't the most effective. Also, because the author teaches history, you get a nice rundown of the subject as Allitt explains how classes went. The title of this work may offend some because it sounds bossy, almost, but it's meant to remind instructors of their role and that it's imperative to not break that boundary (advice with which I wholeheartedly agree).
July 24, 2017
It was interesting and encouraging read as a new faculty member. Interesting to see how courses other than my own, which are engineering project courses, might be taught, and encouraging to have company; it really is okay to be apathetic to some of the complaints that I hear from students. Many passages were quite funny, some others were too much history, maybe some others contained too much information about students, but it was good to hear.
July 23, 2022
Love this book...required reading for all college professors. Funny and insightful...lots of British wit!
February 19, 2013
If you're looking for what to expect from undergraduate students in the classroom, this book is informative. If you're looking for how to teach a class, you won't find it.
What this book shows is what the professor expects from students and what students actually do. There is a rather large difference. It also helps explain why students are graduating yet employers are complaining they lack skills.
This book should be required reading for parents who think their kid deserved a higher grade. For that matter, so should the student.
It should also be required reading for all politicians and businessmen who think they know how education should work. For that matter, so should higher education administration.
What this book shows is what the professor expects from students and what students actually do. There is a rather large difference. It also helps explain why students are graduating yet employers are complaining they lack skills.
This book should be required reading for parents who think their kid deserved a higher grade. For that matter, so should the student.
It should also be required reading for all politicians and businessmen who think they know how education should work. For that matter, so should higher education administration.
February 3, 2013
This book was a fascinating insight into the life of an undergraduate university professor. Taking place during the spring semester of, probably, 2004/5, Patrick Allitt outlines the goings on of this semester and one specific history course he teaches during this time. With all the ups and downs associated with teaching, Allitt shows how he strives to teach not simply dates and names (he is a history professor) but a passion for history. I know I, for one, have come away from this text with several ideas for when, prayerfully, I become a professor.
November 28, 2013
You laugh in spite of yourself. This is the teacher-take on I Am Charlotte Simmons. When I read of Professor Allitt driving his little buggy past student Jags and other four-wheel empires, my hackles rose. I live in the middle of a college student ghetto (there's no better word for it) and I'm afraid that I must confirm that our little darlings have become demons. If degrees in substance abuse and pure sloth were offered, they would pass with flying colors.
January 17, 2013
As a history teacher, I found that much of what Prof. Allit had to say left me smiling in recognition. His college students are not so very different from my HS juniors and seniors. I only wish I had studied with Allit, though I feel like I am now with this book and his Great Courses course The Conservative Tradition.
December 29, 2015
I love workplace memoirs, history, and academia, so this was a trifecta of loveliness. It reads smoothly, it's funny, and it's illuminating to read about a semester from the professor's point of view. Some things were as I expected, others weren't. I also picked up some fun facts from the lectures he mentions, and I've ordered his Teaching Company series on religion in America.
April 9, 2019
Had to read for class.
May 11, 2017
3.5 stars [Education]
A pleasant book by a veteran professor of American History at Emory. As he is British, he more easily sidesteps the most common fault among college professors today: an agenda. Professor Allitt describes episodes from his classes in detail, the subtopics that weave through 'pure' history, student interactions, and snippets from his life. His teaching style, thoughts, successes and failures are presented with almost no pretense, neither building himself up nor affecting false humility. The book might be described as a mixture of education theory and journal entry.
Applaudable is Allitt's courageousness in addressing grade inflation. He describes the process of persecution an exacting teacher undergoes when trying to be realistic about student merit (in the form of grades). He claims that letters of recommendation make "ridiculous, dizzying claims" in order to keep up with the other, systematic hyperbole, and that both these and the practice of grade inflation constitute "conspiracies of exaggeration." His evidence is that average grades buzz around well above "C" these days (cf. Stanford's A- average), and that not only was a basic literacy test administered in the South, for instance, failed by high school students of near-perfect GPAs, but the high school teachers failed it also!
My only indignation came not from the book's general content, but from the section on his experiences and reactions with plagiarism. His contraposition to cheating - his lauded model - is the military academies, the University of Virginia (which at least appears to still have single-sanction dismissals), and, to add insult to injury, Washington and Lee(!) of all places, situated directly adjacent to the Virginia Military Institute, the home of the best Honor Code in the country, and most likely the world. Upon checking, I was further incensed to find that the entries for "honor systems" and "honor code" on Wikipedia do no more than mention VMI as one place among others that are notable. The one area in which VMI has proven insuperable is overlooked! So, I was quite angry with this, but it didn't factor into my star rating. I just wish VMI would receive the praise which it has merited.
A pleasant book by a veteran professor of American History at Emory. As he is British, he more easily sidesteps the most common fault among college professors today: an agenda. Professor Allitt describes episodes from his classes in detail, the subtopics that weave through 'pure' history, student interactions, and snippets from his life. His teaching style, thoughts, successes and failures are presented with almost no pretense, neither building himself up nor affecting false humility. The book might be described as a mixture of education theory and journal entry.
Applaudable is Allitt's courageousness in addressing grade inflation. He describes the process of persecution an exacting teacher undergoes when trying to be realistic about student merit (in the form of grades). He claims that letters of recommendation make "ridiculous, dizzying claims" in order to keep up with the other, systematic hyperbole, and that both these and the practice of grade inflation constitute "conspiracies of exaggeration." His evidence is that average grades buzz around well above "C" these days (cf. Stanford's A- average), and that not only was a basic literacy test administered in the South, for instance, failed by high school students of near-perfect GPAs, but the high school teachers failed it also!
My only indignation came not from the book's general content, but from the section on his experiences and reactions with plagiarism. His contraposition to cheating - his lauded model - is the military academies, the University of Virginia (which at least appears to still have single-sanction dismissals), and, to add insult to injury, Washington and Lee(!) of all places, situated directly adjacent to the Virginia Military Institute, the home of the best Honor Code in the country, and most likely the world. Upon checking, I was further incensed to find that the entries for "honor systems" and "honor code" on Wikipedia do no more than mention VMI as one place among others that are notable. The one area in which VMI has proven insuperable is overlooked! So, I was quite angry with this, but it didn't factor into my star rating. I just wish VMI would receive the praise which it has merited.
November 18, 2008
This book was almost like a journal, which is not quite what I was expecting. I was hoping for more insight or more practical advice for myself as a teacher. Instead it was more of a memoir of one semester in this professor's class. There were a few nuggets of insight, but there was so much detail on the actual subject matter of his class (late 19th and 20th century American history - *yawn*), that those nuggets were hard to find. I do think that I would have enjoyed it more had I been interested in the subject of the course. Otherwise, it was so-so.
December 30, 2007
Allitt is a professor at Emory, and this book is his reflections and advice on teaching, as told in the context of one semester of an introductory US history course he teaches. He comes across as a bit set in his ways, but also a creative teacher in his own way. As a practical guide it's very interesting, I wonder how it would compare with some of the more radical books about pedagogy and instruction.
August 30, 2009
An enjoyable read, though the professor is a bit arrogant at times. He might take the "I'm the professor" authority a bit too far at times, but he's by no means claiming his method is THE correct way to teach. Instead, he's chronicling one course of one semester, describing mistakes as well as triumphs. As college professors, we spend so much of our time teaching, yet publish books and articles on our various research topics. More books should be published about teaching
January 31, 2011
I was hoping that this book would provide insights into college-level classroom teaching methods but was disappointed. The book primarily describes the material and activities in each classroom session that the author taught.
March 28, 2008
Okay, I'm biased because he mentions me in it, but it's a fun, good read... so it gets 4 stars.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews