Summary of Rebekah Nathan’s Article
Rebekah Nathan in her book My Freshman Year: What a Professor Learned by
Becoming a Student describes the international students’ perspectives on cultural
norms in US university academic settings in her chapter entitled “As Others See Us.”
She touches on various issues that are surprising to international students starting
with the freedom and informality seen in the classes here. Students from various
countries that confided in her in the chapter mentioned that the students can
step out of the class and interrupting a lecture with questions during class as
well as students drink and eat during the class were ignored by professors.
These instances along with the general informality of the class were seen by most as
casual, open and friendly. Nathan mentioned that some students from the
Middle East like the UAE and Somali appreciated that the American teachers
do not keep watching you all the time or try to force you to study. Others from
Asia thought that the American teachers were very helpful to the point of assisting
students both inside and outside of class as opposed to teachers in their countries
who viewed their profession as more of a job.
Nathan mentions that course content in the States was viewed as challenging
overall. Most students mentioned in the article stated that they were treated as
“elementary school students” especially in their first few years of study. Examples
that were given revolved around the explicit urgings of teachers to focus on certain
points in their readings and studies; the plethora of small chunks of readings and
quizzes that some had thought could lead to quickly forgetting the material after the
tests; the scripted helps that the advisors give in arranging courses and approving
schedules; and the multiple choice quizzes and tests that one could easily pass with
minimal study. On the other hand, Nathan stated that many students are
appreciated the American grading system, with incomprehensive and smaller
exams and a syllabus, shows out exactly how tests, presentation will be grade on
final. Some students mentioned that grades in their home countries were “a
mystery.”
The writer went on to show that some international students thought of the teacher
as “one man show” here in the states. By this they meant that teachers put great
effort into keeping the students engaged though multiple tools and techniques used
in the classroom. They described their teachers back home to be more in the
lecturing mode. One student from France mentioned that there were no teacher
evaluations back home in his country, alluding to the fact that the professors there
were only “entertainers” in the sense of lecturing.
Again, depending on the origin of the student, Nathan showed the variety of views
that international students had of US academic life. Mexican students found U.S.
professors and advisers a little formal, most of the others noted their easy
메모 포함[WK1]: I could not find out where the errors
were since he or she didn’t highlighted the errors he or
she made.
메모 포함[WK2]: Plagiarism: same structure/synonym
replacement
You can fix this part with paraphrasing this part totally
different from the original text and trying to use your own
words rather than those from the original text.
3335-23-04 Prohibited conduct
A. Academic misconduct
4. Plagiarism
메모 포함[WK3]: Plagiarism: Using too many of the same
words
You can replace this part with your own words, not those
from the original text.
3335-23-04 Prohibited conduct
A. Academic misconduct
4. Plagiarism
메모 포함[WK4]: Plagiarism: Using too many of the same
words
You can improve this part as putting the words from the
original text into your own words.
3335-23-04 Prohibited conduct
A. Academic misconduct
4. Plagiarism
메모 포함[WK5]: Plagiarism: Missing citation
You can add in-text citation after the phrase you directly
cited from the original text.
3335-23-04 Prohibited conduct
A. Academic misconduct
4. Plagiarism
informality. UAE and Somalian students saw US students as performing very
seriously due to the fact that their futures depended on their studies whereas most
other students saw the American students as lazy. Most students were surprised by
the fact that group work and presentations were the norm in classrooms here and
viewed this as great preparation for presenting in front of others. Additionally, one
Japanese student mentioned that the individualism in the US was a factor that
benefited US students in knowing their boundaries and enabled them to negotiate
the demands required to function in group work.
Finally, most students mentioned in Nathan’s article noted that the amount of choice
available to students here in the US dwarfed that in their countries. Students
mentioned the limited choices they had in their native country due to the specific
majors they were bound to because of test scores. They noted that the choices for
elective courses of interest as well as club or extra curricular choices were readily
available here for any to take. One Korean woman mentioned that the freedom of
choice could also be seen in the preferences asked of children raised in American
culture. Children who are asked, “Do you want French fries or potato chips?” seems
to be rooted in the nurturing of individualistic freedoms here. Nathan mentioned
that the downside to these choices were seen by some as causing more complication
in the education process and that students could easily end up being less
specialized. In addition, one foreign born teacher was surprised that the ease of
dropping classes seemed to make students here less likely to take his advice and
improve.
메모 포함[WK6]: Plagiarism: Using too many of the same
words
You can improve this sentence by changing the phrase
‘most of the others’ into your own words.
3335-23-04 Prohibited conduct
A. Academic misconduct
4. Plagiarism