I'd like to say that my experience teaching has been different, but no. I filled in as an adjunct a few years back when a nursing instructor became ill. That required me preparing an entire course outline and syllabus, and the lectures. They gave me required reading lists and a pool of test questions, an office which I had to sit in for three hours a week to see students who needed help/had questions, etc. and promised to pay my salary to my employer (an affilliated hospital) since I was being released from seeing patients to teach the course and do office hours.
These were senior students and many of them didn't know enough medical terminology to get through an entire lecture without stopping me to define basic terms a beginning student should know. I had to give a "map" of the exams out, telling them how many questions on what topics would be on the test. I emphasized in each lecture "This is really important, please make sure you know this." And half the class failed the tests each time. Seniors, who would be graduating and taking State Boards that year. No one came to see me before the tests, but I had loads crying on my desk after each one. If they had been to lectures and studied, they would have passed. I didn't use tricky questions.
I only reported raw scores, and the school took care of the grading and curved everything, I'm sure, to maintain their accredidation. But as far as I was concerned 45 out of 90 students were unqualified for the professional licensing exams. Students claimed I didn't know how to teach, and they wanted their old instructor back. I was very happy I only agreed to fill in for one semester. Then, to top it off, it took two years and a lawyer to get them to pay my employer.
no subject
These were senior students and many of them didn't know enough medical terminology to get through an entire lecture without stopping me to define basic terms a beginning student should know. I had to give a "map" of the exams out, telling them how many questions on what topics would be on the test. I emphasized in each lecture "This is really important, please make sure you know this." And half the class failed the tests each time. Seniors, who would be graduating and taking State Boards that year. No one came to see me before the tests, but I had loads crying on my desk after each one. If they had been to lectures and studied, they would have passed. I didn't use tricky questions.
I only reported raw scores, and the school took care of the grading and curved everything, I'm sure, to maintain their accredidation. But as far as I was concerned 45 out of 90 students were unqualified for the professional licensing exams. Students claimed I didn't know how to teach, and they wanted their old instructor back. I was very happy I only agreed to fill in for one semester. Then, to top it off, it took two years and a lawyer to get them to pay my employer.