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Always that one student

by Maria

Aug 27, 2010

I teach a freshman level composition course, and today one of my students started complaining about the activity I had them do on how to "get started" when writing an essay. Basically the student said the activity was pointless and took on an attitude of arrogance proclaiming that he already knew everything about writing and didn't need me to go ov...See More

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Nancy On 10/12/10, Nancy wrote:I also teach freshman level composition. I do not use activities to get students started. Instead, I have had students read essays such as "Writing is Not a McDonald's Hamburger." We discuss the ideas in the essays. However, when it comes to a writing assignment, I usually share one of my own essays. For example, when stude...See MoreOn 10/12/10, Nancy wrote:I also teach freshman level composition. I do not use activities to get students started. Instead, I have had students read essays such as "Writing is Not a McDonald's Hamburger." We discuss the ideas in the essays. However, when it comes to a writing assignment, I usually share one of my own essays. For example, when students wrote a personal essay, I shared one of my own. After students have written a rough draft, I provide them with a "Peer Edit" sheet. Over time, they realize that editing is not in the clean-up- work: proofreading for grammatical and spelling errors. All semester, I talk about the nitty-gritty of real editing: scrapping the entire project, getting rid of sentences, paragraphs; adding paragraphs, etc. They learn by doing. One of the first things we discuss is that getting started means just writing. I don't know what area you teach in, but you may want to scrap the "getting started" activities. And don't doubt yourself. I know how students--even those who have graduated high school--can be rude and obnoxious. I had similar encounters when I started teaching post-high school. I questioned myself, especially since I had taught middle and high school English for over a decade before I started teaching in a college. I would not trade my experience with post-grads for all the world! The day will come when you laugh remembering each of your brazen students. And yes, depending on the kind of day you are having often determines how much you take the comments to heart! > On 8/27/10, Maria wrote: >> I teach a freshman level composition course, and today one >> of my students started complaining about the activity I had >> them do on how to "get started" when writing an essay. >> Basically the student said the activity was pointless and >> took on an attitude of arrogance proclaiming that he >> already knew everything about writing and didn't need me to >> go over what he learned in high school. I put together the >> activity based on semesters of having students tell me the >> most difficult part of writing an essay is simply "getting >> started." >> >> Anyway, I usually try to ignore these kinds of outbursts in >> class by telling the student to bring up such matters after >> class with me and not to interrupt the class session. And >> that's what I did this time. But I'm having a bad day, and >> this one student really got to me. >> >> What if all the students feel the same way, that the >> activity was pointless? This student acted out of >> disrespect and is probably going to give me problems the >> whole semester, but what if he touched on some truth about >> my teaching? I've always gotten good evaluations, but what >> if I'm just not cut out to be a college instructor? What if >> I've been fooling myself all this time? (I'm a new >> instructor, been teaching about 4 years). What if I'm a >> horrible instructor and not fit to teach English? I know >> I'm jumping to conclusions based on this one activity and >> one student, but I tend to question myself constantly, and >> if this student felt this one activity was pointless, >> perhaps the whole class is pointless (the way I teach it >> that is). >> >> Just feeling blue today.

Oct 12, 2010

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no, not always On 8/27/10, Maria wrote:

If we think that every activity we give an entire class is going to be meaningful to the entire class... we've got another think coming. If your entire class walked into a doctor's office all with strep throat, would one antibiotic in the same dose work for all of them?

No. Just as no one assignment is go...See More

Nov 23, 2010

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Hardy: On Becoming a Poet

by Prof. Hardy Parkerson, J.D.

Aug 30, 2010

Hardy: On Becoming a Poet

Others write them; I just read them And recite them: Recite the poems that others write.

But my own I cannot fashion, Though I keep trying With a passion To write a poem that's mine.

Will I ever quit this trying? Trying, trying, Failing sighing, Trying a poet to become?

No, I'm sure I sh...See More

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Thinking of Thomas Wolfe

by Prof. Hardy Parkerson, J.D.

Aug 30, 2010

Thinking of Thomas Wolfe

I sit with book in hand and read alone And think of Thomas Wolfe, who now has gone And left us with those books that are so great; And since I can't go home, I now must wait.

But while I wait, I'll sit and read more Wolfe And try to dig those gems out of his books. At penning words, Wolfe surely had his wa...See More

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McNeese State Football University

by Hardy Parkerson, J.D.

Aug 30, 2010

McNeese State Football University

McNeese has the best of all sports teams. Of the crop of athletes it has the creme. It wins a championship 'most every year. It even has its own golf course real near.

For basketball it doesn't use a gym, For McNeese has the Burton Coliseum. The best of all it has for its athletes. The football fi...See More

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Hooray for Me!

by Hardy Parkerson, J.D.

Aug 30, 2010

Hooray for Me!

Well, it's been a hard week. Been a hard, hard week. Been a hard, hard, hard, hard week. Once again it's over And I'm rollin' in clover, And I'm ready this place to quit. Gotta cash me a check And find me a chick And find me a place To flick my Bic With some chantilly lace, And that's no disgrace. Well, I hit the jackpot In ...See More

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Freshman Comp - Dual Credit

by Q.

Sep 1, 2010

I need help. I've switched schools and no longer teach Freshman Comp Dual Credit on an every-other-day regular college schedule. My new school teaches the class as part of its regular school day, which means it meets for an hour every day. My schedule mojo is off in a big way and at the end of week 3 we're all bored.

My plan is to coordin...See More

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Q Thank you for the suggestions. I do have some of the essays for revision and peer review planned, etc. I do like the idea of linguistics.

Do you have a title or two you could recommend? I've done some searches but think I'm not asking the question correctly. Specific lessons on note taking are percolating as well.

I always value y...See More

Sep 4, 2010

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marjoryt My own linguistics professors always began with "games" - I think the all the fun was for them, because it seemed we students weren't having any fun.....Today I try to make these very short and easy.

You can start with three or 4 sentences, in which the subjects have many, many adjectives. Get the adjectives out of proper sequence. Ask the...See More

Sep 6, 2010

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rigor vs high grade

by cc_rigor

Sep 22, 2010

As an adjunct, how would you hold to minimum standards while expecting descent student-evaluation? would you blame instructors who give really good grades to save their jobs?

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Professor Hardy P:arkerson I'm from the time-honored school that believes that the teacher (professor) hasn't taught, unless the studenthad learned. The best teacher is a textbook written by a Harvard, Tulane or Yale professor.

s/HMP

On 9/26/10, bernoulli wrote: > Well said marjory! > > On 9/25/10, marjoryt wrote: >> During my years as a stu...See MoreI'm from the time-honored school that believes that the teacher (professor) hasn't taught, unless the studenthad learned. The best teacher is a textbook written by a Harvard, Tulane or Yale professor.

s/HMP

On 9/26/10, bernoulli wrote: > Well said marjory! > > On 9/25/10, marjoryt wrote: >> During my years as a student and then instructor, I found that >> some professors are not in touch with their students. >> Consequently, miscommunication ensues. Students vastly prefer >> to be in a class learning something - they don't want to just >> sit. However, they grow frantic and flee in large numbers if >> they perceive the instructor is: >> - assuming that only the student in that major should make good >> grades, or that only students who are honor students are worthy >> of making good grades or that athletes can't be good students or >> that a bad grade on a test means the student is lazy >> - and I've heard my coworkers say these things while at >> lunch - >> - not updating the information - obviously hasn't changed the >> notes, refuses to provide real world examples, continues to >> throw up overhead slide after overhead slide >> - not responsive to how today's students learn - these students >> want to do something with the information, not just listen, >> read, and then test >> - seeming to enjoy throwing difficult assignments to students >> with very little warning and no examples - these students ALWAYS >> want examples >> - treating the students as if they should be stamping out >> projects and essays and reports in a factory - no flexibility >> for due dates, methods of presentation. For example, if a >> student doesn't have the draft by Tuesday, the student earns an >> automatic F for the entire assignment with no make up >> opportunity - 2 of my coworkers do this frequently and believe >> they are weeding out the poor students. >> >> I've been accused by some of my younger colleagues of being >> an "easy A." I simply laugh in their faces. My department >> chair does the same thing. More of my students make As and Bs, >> but that's because I'm using mastery instruction, not easier >> assignments. I'm monitoring student performance and tweaking >> the course to ensure the most students are learning at the >> success level - B and above. >> >> Students, in my opinion, don't look for "easy" as much as they >> look for "reasonable expectation of making a decent grade."

Nov 28, 2010

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Professor Hardy Parkerson Let me say that again. I'm from the time-honored school that believes that the teacher (professor) hasn't taught, unless the student has learned. The best teacher is a textbook written by a Harvard, Tulane or Yale professor.

s/HMP

On 11/28/10, Professor Hardy P:arkerson wrote: > I'm from the time-honored > school that belie...See MoreLet me say that again. I'm from the time-honored school that believes that the teacher (professor) hasn't taught, unless the student has learned. The best teacher is a textbook written by a Harvard, Tulane or Yale professor.

s/HMP

On 11/28/10, Professor Hardy P:arkerson wrote: > I'm from the time-honored > school that believes that > the teacher (professor) hasn't > taught, unless the studenthad > learned. The best teacher is > a textbook written by a Harvard, > Tulane or Yale professor. > > s/HMP > > > On 9/26/10, bernoulli wrote: >> Well said marjory! >> >> On 9/25/10, marjoryt wrote: >>> During my years as a student and then instructor, I found that >>> some professors are not in touch with their students. >>> Consequently, miscommunication ensues. Students vastly prefer >>> to be in a class learning something - they don't want to just >>> sit. However, they grow frantic and flee in large numbers if >>> they perceive the instructor is: >>> - assuming that only the student in that major should make good >>> grades, or that only students who are honor students are worthy >>> of making good grades or that athletes can't be good students or >>> that a bad grade on a test means the student is lazy >>> - and I've heard my coworkers say these things while at >>> lunch - >>> - not updating the information - obviously hasn't changed the >>> notes, refuses to provide real world examples, continues to >>> throw up overhead slide after overhead slide >>> - not responsive to how today's students learn - these students >>> want to do something with the information, not just listen, >>> read, and then test >>> - seeming to enjoy throwing difficult assignments to students >>> with very little warning and no examples - these students ALWAYS >>> want examples >>> - treating the students as if they should be stamping out >>> projects and essays and reports in a factory - no flexibility >>> for due dates, methods of presentation. For example, if a >>> student doesn't have the draft by Tuesday, the student earns an >>> automatic F for the entire assignment with no make up >>> opportunity - 2 of my coworkers do this frequently and believe >>> they are weeding out the poor students. >>> >>> I've been accused by some of my younger colleagues of being >>> an "easy A." I simply laugh in their faces. My department >>> chair does the same thing. More of my students make As and Bs, >>> but that's because I'm using mastery instruction, not easier >>> assignments. I'm monitoring student performance and tweaking >>> the course to ensure the most students are learning at the >>> success level - B and above. >>> >>> Students, in my opinion, don't look for "easy" as much as they >>> look for "reasonable expectation of making a decent grade."

Nov 28, 2010

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Nervous System - Please advise

by biochick

Sep 25, 2010

I have always found the nervous system to be extremely difficult for anatomy students. If you have creative ideas for presenting the material, please respond.

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marjoryt You might consider one or more of these ideas. I work with developmental and online students; they tell me even one helps. 1. Divide up the unit into smaller chunks of information. For example, you could have them examine the head and trunk, then the arms, then the legs. Or from the skin into the body. Do the introduction, guided work, check test, ...See More

Sep 25, 2010

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ProfessorExpert.com On 9/25/10, biochick wrote: > I have always found the nervous system to be extremely > difficult for anatomy students. If you have creative ideas > for presenting the material, please respond.

YouTube videos, online games with nervous system theme ( not sure about the current link, but I am sure you can google it).

Oct 3, 2010

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"Is that one of those 'soccer' questions?"

by marjoryt

Sep 29, 2010

My students joined the intellectuals today - it's wonderful to see them wake up and start working the problems!

Early in the semester I described the Socratic teaching method to my students - that I'd be asking questions without easy answers, that I would not answer the questions myself, and that they would have to work together for the so...See More

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bernoulli Soccer questions!!! Cool! Nice story!

(recommend they watch "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" so they can pronounce Socrates correctly!!!)

On 9/29/10, marjoryt wrote: > My students joined the intellectuals today - it's wonderful > to see them wake up and start working the problems! > > Early in the semester I desc...See MoreSoccer questions!!! Cool! Nice story!

(recommend they watch "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" so they can pronounce Socrates correctly!!!)

On 9/29/10, marjoryt wrote: > My students joined the intellectuals today - it's wonderful > to see them wake up and start working the problems! > > Early in the semester I described the Socratic teaching > method to my students - that I'd be asking questions > without easy answers, that I would not answer the questions > myself, and that they would have to work together for the > solutions. > > Today, we read a selection by the sociologist Claude Levi- > Strauss, which discussed chiefs in South American tribes. > I then invited questions from the students and responded to > those questions. My conclusion question was, "This is the > second selection we've read about leadership. The first > was Machiavelli's "The Duties of the Prince." What's the > difference between the two concepts?" > Dead silence. I let it sit. Ask the question again. Let > it sit. And let it sit some more. > One student raised his hand. "Mrs. T, is this one of those > soccer questions?" > soccer, soccer, Socratic. . . > I answered "Yes, it is! Say something to get the class > started!" > He said, "Machiavelli thought a prince should be ready for > war." > Another student said, "Well, you have to have money for > weapons and equipment." > The first student said, "And food, not that soldiers ever > have good food. Pay too. My ancestor quit the Confederate > Army - he hadn't been paid in two years." > > The students worked on that problem for about 5 minutes, > but then one said, "Ok, let's give Mrs. T her answer now. > I think Machiavelli's leader hoards his resources and > considers his people as a type of resource. Those chiefs > consider themselves and anything they own as resources for > the people of the tribe. It's like the exact oppposites. > Then, what are we, Mrs. T?" > My response? "Great work on a Socratic question. Good > work, good answer. Let's read what Rousseau and Jefferson > say about leaders in a democracy - next week."

Oct 1, 2010

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