Your Attitude

It is important to emphasize the critical place ATTITUDE has in this course, just like in sports or in the rest of life. UTEP  forms winners, not losers, in its academics just like in its athletics. The purpose of this course is not just to teach you "a little English" or "enough reading just to get through college." it is to teach you to become a college-level reader, a real world writer, and a WINNING student. I will never demand anything from you in this class that I would not demand of myself, but I do demand that you approach the course with a positive, winner's attitude. Each one of you is capable of being a winner, of becoming a good reader and a good writer, if you just adopt the attitude that you can do it.

You are in the big leagues now, so if you try to trudge through this course with an attitude of "I'll do as little as possible just to get by," or if you act like you were sentenced by a judge to serve four months hard time in Developmental English, you may not even get by, since the format of the course itself is carefully designed to minimize and discourage that kind of behavior.  Nor is this a "me against you" type of course--I will do as much as is required, spend as many hours as you need, give whatever advice you ask for, in order for you to earn an "A" fair and square. But I will not lift a finger to help you get a low "C" (unless, of course, you are in danger of getting a "D" or "F" and honestly are not capable of any better--but I very rarely see anyone who falls into that unfortunate category).

So, PLEASE LEAVE ALL NEGATIVITY and LOSER ATTITUDES OUTSIDE THE DOOR when you come into class.

O.W. 8/05 rev 5/09

For educational purposes only.

 

Owen M. Williamson - Education Bldg 211E - phone: (915) 747 7625 - fax: (915) 747 5655

The University of Texas at El Paso - 500 W. University Ave. - El Paso, TX 79968

Important Disclaimer