Well, school has finished and yes, I did graduate and walk the walk. I have had time to evaluate my schooling over the last couple of years … 2 1/2 to be exact … and I am a little disappointed to say the least. Maybe because the IT Website field is forever changing … and at a rapid pace … but I feel my education here at Flathead Valley Community College was far from par. It seems that some of the classes were good ones to take for the field, while others … a complete waste of time. And then once you are in a class that applies to your field, you are only in it for 1 semester, to never touch that subject again, until you try to find a job, and then realize that you are sitting behind the eight ball with your education for the field of choice.
Now that brings me to the instructors at FVCC … Some of them are very caring, knowledgeable, and passionate teachers of their chosen field. And some others … lets just say … NOT!!!! A lot of the instructors at FVCC are just part-time. I understand that they have other jobs, hell, you need to just to survive in the valley. BUT, when you have made a choice to be a teacher, that career should come first, especially when you are in the middle of teaching a class. And yes, I have heard how little the teachers make here at FVCC, (and maybe FVCC should re-evaluate what they pay their staff, especially at the prices they charge per credit, OMG it is HIGH) …and to that, I say … I DON’T CARE!! You knew what the pay rate was when you took the position, and when I am in your class, I demand 100% of your attention!! I do not care about your other jobs … especially when you need to leave the class room to take a business call, or better yet, class is cancelled because you have a meeting with a client of yours. Some … ok, a lot of the teachers, the part-time teachers, need to learn to prioritize. STUDENTS COME FIRST!!!! If you don’t like it … QUIT!!
Lets not even start the conversation on the qualifications you need to be an instructor here at the college. Lets just say … You can take a class one semester, and the next, you are teaching it. NO … you do not have a teaching degree, any formal training as a teacher, you just did really well in the class last semester. You now have a job as an instructor at FVCC.
But to the excellent instructors at FVCC that made class worth attending … Chris Hanchett … George Cowan … and my photography instructor, Peter … Thank You!! Thank You for LOVING what you do, showing that spirit in each class, and making it a joy to come to class … everyday!! Again … Thank You!!
I know this has been mostly a negative post, but I had to swallow a lot of crap over the last 2 1/2 years, and now I have vented. I have made some good contact, made some great friends, and will always cherish my time here … at FVCC!!
Don Weakly
