As someone who is pursuing a liberal arts degree, many people automatically assume that my classes are easy. Yes, I'm not taking anatomy classes or solving 10 lined math equations, but I still work hard at what I do. I take pride in my majors. Some may view English and Public Administration as "easy," but I definitely don't slack in my classes. In fact, I had a friend (whose major is Organic Chemistry I may add) who said to me, "You're really passionate about your majors." I took this as a major compliment because I am passionate. I am majoring in these subjects for a reason. I genuinely am interested in them and want to learn as much as I can, hopefully taking the skills with me for the rest of my life. But what happens when your classes do live up to the "easy" stereotype? What do you do when you want to defend your hard work but the truth is, all you did in class this week was watch a movie?
I understand that professors get busy and can't plan a lesson for the day. Yet, I'm paying for you to teach me. If I really wanted to learn about a subject from a movie, I could keep my tuition money and stream the movie online. But no. I'm sitting in class for two hours watching a movie that may teach me maybe one or two new things as professors catch up with grading assignments. Sometimes, movies are relevant to the class and we can learn a lot from them. But in that case, pause the movie and let us discuss the point. Liberal arts majors are about critically analyzing material. Popping in a movie and then just ending the class with no discussion or explanation doesn't teach me to critically analyze things, it teaches me that you think my education can be founded on cheesy History Channel documentaries that I can find on Netflix.
So teach me. As questions. For the love of God at least give us a worksheet to fill out so I feel like I am doing something more than just sitting in a chair. I'm not saying that I don't like classes that are lectures where the class sits quietly and takes notes, because, in that case, at least the professor is making an effort to explain material themselves. This article is mainly for the professors who put in a movie and sit back in their chairs without another word. Yes, it happens and it's an insult to my education. If it happened once a semester then that's okay. Life is hard and professors deserve a "chill day." But when movies become a constant part of the course, well then my tuition money is not being well spent.
As I said earlier, I am passionate about my majors. I expect my professors to be passionate about their courses as well. They are in fact teaching the subject for a living. So show me why you love the course. Challenge me. If you're going to show a movie, make it worth my time. Liberal arts majors are smart; we're full of potential. Let us think critically, let us show you how passionate we are about learning.
