Topic: Community College

10-second review: Defines the purpose for a community college

Title: “A Community College Reading and Study Skills Program: What Is It? What Does It Do?” H Aron. Journal of Reading (December 1978), 231-235.

Quote: “The American Community College was designed to provide an opportunity for higher education for all persons without regard to their previous educational achievement, social class, religion, race, ethnicity or age.”

Comment: I taught writing in a community college for three and one-half years. I’m no expert. The students varied. Young people who had partied too often at a four-year college which had accepted them and they failed were especially prominent in September, trying to start over again. Another type of student was the older person—women whose fathers did not think they were worth a college education and now, after raising their children, wanting to gain the education they had missed; men who wanted to change careers;  people in the professions like police officers, who wanted a degree. Still another type of community college student was the young person who wanted to save money at the relatively inexpensive two-year college and then to transfer to a four-year college. The most heart-rending community college students was the learning disabled student.

All of these students had different needs, but they all needed to be encouraged. They needed a teacher who did not give up on them. RayS.