In reading Gerald Graff’s book, I’m able to put into perspective the past actions of professors as an undergraduate in the mid-eighties.  I started college at American University in D.C.. An initial shocker was the large number of students, my classmates, that had graduated from a private high school.  Already, I felt less qualified to be there.

Having always been a reader and writer and therefore comfortable in my skills, imagine my shock, when at the beginning of my first semester in English Comp., the professor told me my writing was backwards!  I figured her being British had something to do with her not appreciating my abilities.  Yet she never defined, nor aided to correct my backwardness, just continued with the criticism.  

If that wasn’t bad enough, during my first biology class, the professor- a PHD- concluded his lecture on the human body with the words, “Do you believe me?” After momentary silence, most of us agreed with the data he had given us and what we had diligently taken notes on, only to discover that most of it was not accurate. He ended class ranting about our need to Question Authority!

So, feeling pumped-up from that lecture, I tried this ‘questioning’ with the British instructor and guess what?  She would have none of it. She felt I was being rude. (Little did she know how much courage it required of me to speak, never mind ask questions).

During my second semester, when I asked my American English teacher if she found my writing to be backwards, she said, “no-just wordy.”  Was that all?

After two years,  I transferred to Univ. of Md at College Park.  Many people questioned my rationale for leaving ‘prestigious’ AU for a state school.   

Although many people fondly recall their undergrad years, I don’t. I followed the rules and degree outlines and graduated almost as clueless as the day I arrived. The irony is that I had graduated both high school and college with honors, yet felt so totally unprepared for t he world.

I find Graff’s idea of restructuring higher education invigorating, but daunting because already I have run into the attitude supporting the more traditional way simply because that’s the way it has always been. 

Susan