Re: 18weekvs16weeksemester

[Tom McDonald <tmcdo@NORTHLINK.NET>]

----- Original Message -----
From: John Cooper <jcooper@BUCKNELL.EDU>

> On Sat, 16 Dec 2000, Bob Sciamanda wrote:
>
> > I have been known to remark to some of my classes:
> > "Education is the one business where the customer does not want his
> > moneys' worth".
>   Our Physics Shop Tech, and a VERY successful private entrepreneur after
> hours, has remarked for over a decade that:
>   "Education is the ONLY business in which the customer continually
> demands less for his/her money!"

Well, I suppose that depends upon whom you consider to be your customer.  I
suspect that high school teachers might have a slightly different take on
this situation.  While there is no shortage of reluctant learners in our
classrooms, we deal with their parents frequently.  Since the parents almost
directly pay our salary, and if we don't please them we hear about it, they
certainly seem to be our real customers.  In my experience, it is rare to
meet any who want less education for their tax money.  The most vocal
parents seem to want either more education for the same money, or maybe
better yet, the same education and lower taxes.

High school students, on the other hand,  are in roughly the same position
as my dogs when I take them to the vet.  They are both excited and nervous
and sit panting and drooling while they stare at the exit door hoping to
open it by sheer force of will and escape before something bad happens to
them.  The vet may send mail to Jessie, Jake, and Abby, but the bill always
comes to me.

Eagerly awaiting the holiday break,

Tom McDonald
Harbor Springs High School
Harbor Springs, Michigan