NY Times: NYU Prof Fired for Holding Standards

[Caracal]

I recall a remark from the owner of the Seth Thomas clockworks in Connecticut. He said something to the effect that other employers talk about hiring the best and brightest. But that was not the priority at Seth Thomas. Making clocks is really repetitive work and people get the hang of it fairly quickly. The company needed to find people who would find that work challenging enough to keep it interesting day after day.

Challenging seems like maybe the wrong word. You probably want someone who will continue to find it satisfying to do repetitive work well. That might just be someone who just wants to have a job, get paid money to do it, and then go home at the end of the day and not have to think  about work till the next morning.

[Hibush]

I recall a remark from the owner of the Seth Thomas clockworks in Connecticut. He said something to the effect that other employers talk about hiring the best and brightest. But that was not the priority at Seth Thomas. Making clocks is really repetitive work and people get the hang of it fairly quickly. The company needed to find people who would find that work challenging enough to keep it interesting day after day.

Challenging seems like maybe the wrong word. You probably want someone who will continue to find it satisfying to do repetitive work well. That might just be someone who just wants to have a job, get paid money to do it, and then go home at the end of the day and not have to think  about work till the next morning.

It is notable that he chose the word "challenging" based on the experience retaining staff.

[Caracal]

I recall a remark from the owner of the Seth Thomas clockworks in Connecticut. He said something to the effect that other employers talk about hiring the best and brightest. But that was not the priority at Seth Thomas. Making clocks is really repetitive work and people get the hang of it fairly quickly. The company needed to find people who would find that work challenging enough to keep it interesting day after day.

Challenging seems like maybe the wrong word. You probably want someone who will continue to find it satisfying to do repetitive work well. That might just be someone who just wants to have a job, get paid money to do it, and then go home at the end of the day and not have to think  about work till the next morning.

It is notable that he chose the word "challenging" based on the experience retaining staff.

Maybe, but would you really want someone who continued to find the work difficult? Maybe he meant satisfying?

[little bongo]

This is the prof responding to a few related questions:

https://www.chronicle.com/article/nyus-firing-of-a-chemistry-professor-caused-a-furor-heres-what-he-has-to-say-about-it

[MarathonRunner]

I'm currently in Germany, and most jobs require some sort of qualification, but it is often obtained after an apprenticeship. People are, very early on, directed towards different types of education and jobs, which has its own problems for late bloomers. If you don't have the right "paper" you won't be hired. But service jobs have better pay than in Canada or the US. They don't rely on tips. We are considered generous tippers despite tipping less than we would in Canada. People working the check out counters at grocery stores have done an internship / apprenticeship. It's a very different system from Canada or the US.

[dismalist]

Look at youth unemployment rates across countries: https://thefora.org/index.php?action=post;topic=3151.75;last_msg=115249

Switzerland does great, Germany does OK, US does ugh, but look at France. Highly ugh!

[By and large I know why, but not for all countries, and never mind.]

[Hibush]

I recall a remark from the owner of the Seth Thomas clockworks in Connecticut. He said something to the effect that other employers talk about hiring the best and brightest. But that was not the priority at Seth Thomas. Making clocks is really repetitive work and people get the hang of it fairly quickly. The company needed to find people who would find that work challenging enough to keep it interesting day after day.

Challenging seems like maybe the wrong word. You probably want someone who will continue to find it satisfying to do repetitive work well. That might just be someone who just wants to have a job, get paid money to do it, and then go home at the end of the day and not have to think  about work till the next morning.

It is notable that he chose the word "challenging" based on the experience retaining staff.

Maybe, but would you really want someone who continued to find the work difficult? Maybe he meant satisfying?

Not so easy and repetitive as to get bored and distracted. I think we are automating a lot of those jobs, or outsourcing to other countries. But it is a useful concept for some people who need meaningful employment.

[Caracal]

I recall a remark from the owner of the Seth Thomas clockworks in Connecticut. He said something to the effect that other employers talk about hiring the best and brightest. But that was not the priority at Seth Thomas. Making clocks is really repetitive work and people get the hang of it fairly quickly. The company needed to find people who would find that work challenging enough to keep it interesting day after day.

Challenging seems like maybe the wrong word. You probably want someone who will continue to find it satisfying to do repetitive work well. That might just be someone who just wants to have a job, get paid money to do it, and then go home at the end of the day and not have to think  about work till the next morning.

It is notable that he chose the word "challenging" based on the experience retaining staff.

Maybe, but would you really want someone who continued to find the work difficult? Maybe he meant satisfying?

Not so easy and repetitive as to get bored and distracted. I think we are automating a lot of those jobs, or outsourcing to other countries. But it is a useful concept for some people who need meaningful employment.

I suspect that the ability to do a job like that would depend a lot on your ability to set yourself on autopilot and think about other things. It would help if you could wear headphones. I listen to a podcast and they once talked to a guy who was a janitor who listened to their show. He said he listened to a lot of podcasts when he worked.

[bio-nonymous]

This is the prof responding to a few related questions:

https://www.chronicle.com/article/nyus-firing-of-a-chemistry-professor-caused-a-furor-heres-what-he-has-to-say-about-it

Seems to me he has all his faculties. Failing 19 out of 350? I am sure they deserved it. Seems someone in the failing crowd had some clout...

[Wahoo Redux]

I suspect that the ability to do a job like that would depend a lot on your ability to set yourself on autopilot and think about other things. It would help if you could wear headphones.

That's how I grade.  Otherwise I would go insane.

[Hibush]

This is the prof responding to a few related questions:

https://www.chronicle.com/article/nyus-firing-of-a-chemistry-professor-caused-a-furor-heres-what-he-has-to-say-about-it

Seems to me he has all his faculties. Failing 19 out of 350? I am sure they deserved it. Seems someone in the failing crowd had some clout...

He also makes the case that they were smart enough to pass, but didn't put in the effort. A different problem from schools where there is pressure to retain the academically unprepared.