1. This essay appeared in The Chronicle of Higher Education, a weekly publication for college
and university professors and administrators. How do you think this audience influenced Baker’s
analysis of types of students? What about his tone and language seems appropriate for this type
of audience?
I think that Baker’s audience influenced the analysis of the types of students because he felt that they shared similar views. I’m sure that most professors have opinions similar to Baker’s about their students. I felt that the tone that Baker had throughout the essay is one of judgment to create the specific stereotypes. His tone was appropriate for his audience because his audience probably has similar thoughts about the students.
2. Baker deliberately creates, rather than avoids, stereotypes to establish exaggerated
representatives of types…do you think his classifications are fair? Do they accurately reflect the
whole spectrum of students? Why or why not?
I understand why he would stereotype students, I think it is only natural, and I recognize the stereotypes listed, but I do not agree. Most of the stereotypes are based on observation or superficial relationships. I think there are many facets to a person, that no one person is just a jock, or an egghead, but if the professor got to know the student before classifying him/her, they would make a very different judgment.
3. This article was published in 1982: How well have Baker’s classifications held up to present
conditions? Do these groups still exist? How closely do they mirror the student population at
USI or other colleges (or high schools) you’ve attended? Explain your answer.
I believe that these classifications are very general, and will always be around. One reason is because of the activities offered at a high school or university. If a student choses to play a sport or join the drama team they are then stereotyped as the jock or the drama kid, not the student who plays a sport or acts in a play. I think it is too common and unfair to stereotype because you may not want to get to know that person based on the small amount of information you know about them.
4. Which category (or combination of categories) do you fit? Explain your answer.
I do not think I fit perfectly into any one category. I have been the lost soul, the jock, the worker ant, and the happy child. But more importantly I am a student. Part of going to college to try and find out who you are, where you belong. Students are constantly trying to find their place, so to judge them based on one attribute would be to judge too soon. The category I want to belong to is the college student that graduated and started the career she worked so hard for.
5. Based on your experience, how would you define the relationship between students and
faculty? What stereotypes does each group (fairly? unfairly?) hold about the other?
Up until this past semester I did my best not to form any type of relationship with faculty. I wanted to be the invisible student. When the professor read my name or graded my paper, I did not want him/her to put a face to my name. I was extremely intimidated of my professors. I never asked questions for fear of asking a dumb one, I never wanted to bother them. I felt that professors thought of students as annoying. Many of my professors demonstrated frustration with their students, so I made sure to keep far away. But now that I have a career in mind, a goal to work towards, I view my professors as people who are here to guide me through my education. Last semester I asked questions in class, went to the professor for help, and made sure that they knew my name and knew that I was ready to work hard. I do not know what category my professors would place me in, but I hope it is the hard working, determined category.
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