A short rant about college lit professors

[themanintheseersuckersuit]

What kind of marks did you get in your "Subtlety and Humility" class?

I'm pretty sure "Subtlety and Humility" are inversely related to bored rankings, esp the Subtlety.

[silvercamaro]

And the award goes to WheresFanny for Best Use of the

[Appa23]

I am curious if you heard from the Administration or "TPTB" when you gave 27 A's and only 1 B (with nothing lower) in a class. It would make your class sound like an easy one.

Although, I wonder if it is like a Poli Sci class that I took my second year in college. The professor was a odd, intellectual woman who seemed forever stuck in the 1960s. In a class of no more than 15 students, everyone but one earned an A. The administration asked that she re-grade the class, as it did not conform to proper grade distribution. She brought in copies of everyone's papers over the semester (at least 5 for each student) and the final papers. She demanded that TPTB show her where she needed to downgrade anyone. She also noted that this was the Honors class for the Poli Sci department and was filled with Seniors and a few Juniors that were supposed to be the "best and brightest".

They backed down real quickly.

What kind of marks did you get in your "Subtlety and Humility" class?

You will note that I did not say who got the B.

Nor was I included in the "best and brightest" Juniors and Seniors.

[Ritterskoop]

This semester I will have some Cs, for folks who missed classes.

Every semester I expect to be sat down and told I need to toughen up my grading, but no one ever does. I think for what they pay us, they are grateful to have part-time instructors at all.

I tell the students they start with 100 points, and they have to do things wrong to lose them. Then I make sure they learn the things I want them to learn, and they only do stuff wrong out of their own laziness rather than because I have not prepared them.

I am going to focus the journal entry assignments on specific topics next semester, and add a couple of quizzes, so those will give me more specific ways to use rubrics for grades. But mostly, I want us to practice civil conversations on topics on which we disagree. If we reach the end and they can do that, I've won. It is a big step to be able to discuss a topic without automatically hauling out your Bible verses to explain something, at least in this part of the country.

[TheConfessor]

I tell the students they start with 100 points, and they have to do things wrong to lose them. Then I make sure they learn the things I want them to learn, and they only do stuff wrong out of their own laziness rather than because I have not prepared them.

I hope this philosophy will spread to game shows. Everyone would start with a million dollars, and the amount would be reduced only for those too lazy to show up at the studio. This concept seriously might work, with a little fine tuning. By publishing my thoughts here, I hope I've established my intellectual property rights. I'd be willing to consider a partnership deal.

I am going to focus the journal entry assignments on specific topics next semester, and add a couple of quizzes, so those will give me more specific ways to use rubrics for grades.

Interesting. I had never seen the word "rubric" used in this way, but it seems to have been given a new meaning within the educator community. Most mainstream dictionaries haven't caught on to this usage yet, but Google indicates that it has become established jargon in some academic circles.

[Ritterskoop]

Interesting. I had never seen the word "rubric" used in this way, but it seems to have been given a new meaning within the educator community. Most mainstream dictionaries haven't caught on to this usage yet, but Google indicates that it has become established jargon in some academic circles.

This is the sort of definition they use in the teacher workshops at school:

"A rubric is a set of categories which define and describe the important components of the work being completed, critiqued, or assessed."

Instead of reading a piece of work and assigning a grade based on subjective reaction, the idea is to look for specific elements that are predetermined, and which have been communicated to the students. So for a 2-page paper, I would tell them what elements I will be looking for: a definition of an ethical theory, their use of it in responding to an ethical problem, and their opinion about the theory (in this instance, I don't evaluate the opinion, only register that they expressed one).

[Ritterskoop]

I hope this philosophy will spread to game shows. Everyone would start with a million dollars, and the amount would be reduced only for those too lazy to show up at the studio.

Game shows are competitions. Learning is not a competition, at least not the part I am participating in.

You could have said my method is inferior any number of other ways. This is why I am so opposed to sarcasm. It establishes your superiority in what is ostensibly a clever way. It is cheap and chickenshit.

[AnnieCamaro]

I have a question for Miss Ritters and other educators.

If I don't turn in my papers on time, why won't teachers and professors ever accept my excuse: "I ate my homework"?

[themanintheseersuckersuit]

I have a question for Miss Ritters and other educators.

If I don't turn in my papers on time, why won't teachers and professors ever accept my excuse: "I ate my homework"?

'cause ya shudda said "Rexer ate my homework"

[MarleysGh0st]

I have a question for Miss Ritters and other educators.

If I don't turn in my papers on time, why won't teachers and professors ever accept my excuse: "I ate my homework"?

Personal responsibility.

You've got to say Lizbit ate your homework!

[SportsFan68]

I have a question for Miss Ritters and other educators.

If I don't turn in my papers on time, why won't teachers and professors ever accept my excuse: "I ate my homework"?

Personal responsibility.

You've got to say Lizbit ate your homework!

LOL! I bet she'd do it if a treat followed!

[AnnieCamaro]

Thank you all for telling me.

I just needed to make sure I wasn't being discriminated against because I'm a girl.

[TheConfessor]

I hope this philosophy will spread to game shows. Everyone would start with a million dollars, and the amount would be reduced only for those too lazy to show up at the studio.

Game shows are competitions. Learning is not a competition, at least not the part I am participating in.

You could have said my method is inferior any number of other ways. This is why I am so opposed to sarcasm. It establishes your superiority in what is ostensibly a clever way. It is cheap and chickenshit.

Wow, you sure are quick to assume the worst about people and to lash out at them. And to put the worst possible interpretation on their comments, and to delete the parts that refute your preconceptions. I have no animosity toward you and I know nothing about your teaching methods, so your reaction is surprising. My main interest in this board is discussing game shows with people who are knowledgeable about the subject, so I tend to view most subjects here from that perspective.

[SportsFan68]

I hope this philosophy will spread to game shows. Everyone would start with a million dollars, and the amount would be reduced only for those too lazy to show up at the studio.

Game shows are competitions. Learning is not a competition, at least not the part I am participating in.

You could have said my method is inferior any number of other ways. This is why I am so opposed to sarcasm. It establishes your superiority in what is ostensibly a clever way. It is cheap and chickenshit.

Wow, you sure are quick to assume the worst about people and to lash out at them. And to put the worst possible interpretation on their comments, and to delete the parts that refute your preconceptions. I have no animosity toward you and I know nothing about your teaching methods, so your reaction is surprising. My main interest in this board is discussing game shows with people who are knowledgeable about the subject, so I tend to view most subjects here from that perspective.

That is not correct. Skoop is not quick to assume the worst about people, she does not put the worst possible interpretation on comments, and she does not delete things that refute her preconceptions. That last is contrary to her general approach; she appreciates having her preconceptions challenged because of the potential for learning something from a situation.

She did not say there was animosity, she said there was sarcasm, which she has objected to many times in the past, IIRC mostly because of its tendency to stifle discussion and squelch the potential for learning. Your main interest in game shows does not dilute the effect of the sarcasm.

[Evil Squirrel]

I have a question for Miss Ritters and other educators.

If I don't turn in my papers on time, why won't teachers and professors ever accept my excuse: "I ate my homework"?

I'm surprised you don't try to blame me....

[peacock2121]

I deleted my post because I was going to do a longer one in the morning. I'm too tired now.

I have to wonder how I provoked such a strong response.

I'd chalk it up to me being in a severely bad mood and clearly looking for comforting and humorous responses as opposed to stupid replies that are frankly, pointless at this juncture and clearly done simply to show off your superior knowledge.

Save your longer post for someone who cares.

Holy crapolla Batman.

[peacock2121]

If I am supposed to nod and say "Poor, baby," then don't read the rest of this. If you are as genuinely pissed as you wrote, probably best to skip the rest, also. If you are interested in other opinions, read on. Sometimes here we will get sympathy and sometimes we get called on our childishness. Note I say "our" because it has happened to me also.

Sometimes your rant will invite other rants. Buckle your seat belt.





Is this the novel where the main character has a friend who used to be a prostitute? Might be a sexual theme indeed, if he is attracted to her but can't pursue it.



"It's just a f#cking crazy person killing people and whining to us about how awful it is for him to have to deal with it!"

This is known as an existential theme. It is a big deal. If the instructor did not explain it properly ahead of time, you might not have appreciated the abyss part, and leapt straight to the despair part. Even if she did, this kind of literature is designed to make you uncomfortable. If you aren't squirming, they didn't do their jobs very well.




I wonder was this the class you were in a few days ago when you posted on the board while you were in class and that you were bored? I almost replied to that one, but held back because folks here like you. But here's what I wanted to say: If you are not engaged in the course, do not attend class, and do not post online while you are in class. It is disrespectful to the instructor, the other students, and most of all, to yourself. You are a part of the academic process, and if you cannot or will not own that, you are better off, and so is everyone else, if you do not play at it half-assed. Clearly, some courses or teachers are boring. But that is their presentation. It is up to you to engage with it and make the learning your own.

Way to go, skoop!

I advise you to not censor what you want to say, especially when it comes to education.

[peacock2121]

I'd chalk it up to me being in a severely bad mood and clearly looking for comforting and humorous responses as opposed to stupid replies that are frankly, pointless at this juncture and clearly done simply to show off your superior knowledge.

Save your longer post for someone who cares.

Too bad I did not see this a few minutes ago.

I am glad you didn't.

Just as I am glad I haven't read forward.

It's kinda like watching a show on tape.

No fun to FF to the end.

[peacock2121]

If I am supposed to nod and say "Poor, baby," then don't read the rest of this. If you are as genuinely pissed as you wrote, probably best to skip the rest, also. If you are interested in other opinions, read on. Sometimes here we will get sympathy and sometimes we get called on our childishness. Note I say "our" because it has happened to me also.

Sometimes your rant will invite other rants. Buckle your seat belt.





Is this the novel where the main character has a friend who used to be a prostitute? Might be a sexual theme indeed, if he is attracted to her but can't pursue it.



"It's just a f#cking crazy person killing people and whining to us about how awful it is for him to have to deal with it!"

This is known as an existential theme. It is a big deal. If the instructor did not explain it properly ahead of time, you might not have appreciated the abyss part, and leapt straight to the despair part. Even if she did, this kind of literature is designed to make you uncomfortable. If you aren't squirming, they didn't do their jobs very well.




I wonder was this the class you were in a few days ago when you posted on the board while you were in class and that you were bored? I almost replied to that one, but held back because folks here like you. But here's what I wanted to say: If you are not engaged in the course, do not attend class, and do not post online while you are in class. It is disrespectful to the instructor, the other students, and most of all, to yourself. You are a part of the academic process, and if you cannot or will not own that, you are better off, and so is everyone else, if you do not play at it half-assed. Clearly, some courses or teachers are boring. But that is their presentation. It is up to you to engage with it and make the learning your own.

This is a fair argument but allow me to answer.

Firstly, the essay assigned was about the main character's internal battle and conflict involving his philosophical beliefs. Yes he did befriend a prostitute who later became an integral part of him, but nowhere in the novel can you find him internally ever even referencing sex. I have found in this class time and time again the professor finding promiscuity where I would never have believed it possible.

This is not the class I post in, I need to concentrate in this class. The one I post in is a Political class on Congress which is fairly basic. This is my major and my specialty and to be blunt I could get an A+ in this course without ever showing up. Ah, so why don't I? Because my professor has an attendance policy that will take you down a full grade if you don't. So that is why I come. As for the academic process bit, permit me to politely disagree with you. I don't know when you attended college but in today's classrooms nearly every student is accompanied by a laptop or electronic device of some sort. I could make an educated guess that 80 percent of the class is either texting or surfing the web at any given time. That's just how it is. Is that disrespectful? Perhaps. But no one including myself makes it at all obvious what they are doing despite jokes I may say to the contrary. There is no disturbance involved.

It's all fine and good to say that learning is important and you should pick up every grain you should, and maybe that's ideal. It is also unrealistic. Almost all students, including myself, see college as a means to an end. So I will not waste my time and energy concentrating on some things that I do not need or already know for the sake of learning. And I will take every advantage I can short of cheating, lying or plagiarizing that will get me a better grade. If that means writing a paper that caters exclusively to what I think a professor believes and not what I do then so be it. If that means chatting to the professor after class because I think he or she enjoys it and likes me better because of it then I'll do that too. If you view that as immature I understand. I'm simply telling you the truth and hoping you respect me for it.

Also please note that your response contained constructive criticism and made me think. I respect that and will answer in kind. I will not do the same for what I believe was blatant showing off.

1. Because almost everyone else is doing something does not mean it is most productive

2. College as a means to an end - interesting way to hold your education. An immature way? Very possibly.

3. Experts in any area will not tell you there is no more for them to learn in that area - you might want read about what "the top of their field" do.

4. You have been around long enough to know what you will probably get from BobJuch - get over it.

[peacock2121]

Wow! The things I miss while I'm sleeping!

I'm just going to sit quietly and watch the fireworks on this one.

get the popcorn too!

[peacock2121]

I hope this philosophy will spread to game shows. Everyone would start with a million dollars, and the amount would be reduced only for those too lazy to show up at the studio.

Game shows are competitions. Learning is not a competition, at least not the part I am participating in.

You could have said my method is inferior any number of other ways. This is why I am so opposed to sarcasm. It establishes your superiority in what is ostensibly a clever way. It is cheap and chickenshit.

I have no comment on whether I agree or disagree with the content above.

Here is what I have to say:

GO SKOOP! Communicating fully and with vigor! I love it.

I also know that you will clean up any mess you made and apologize for any assumptions you might have made.
I love the bare naked truth you told for yourself!

[peacock2121]

I hope this philosophy will spread to game shows. Everyone would start with a million dollars, and the amount would be reduced only for those too lazy to show up at the studio.

Game shows are competitions. Learning is not a competition, at least not the part I am participating in.

You could have said my method is inferior any number of other ways. This is why I am so opposed to sarcasm. It establishes your superiority in what is ostensibly a clever way. It is cheap and chickenshit.

Wow, you sure are quick to assume the worst about people and to lash out at them. And to put the worst possible interpretation on their comments, and to delete the parts that refute your preconceptions.

huh?

Have you been reading skoop at all?

Have you 'met' her? The quotes mean not in person but on the bored

You got her all wrong in this arena.

[peacock2121]

Game shows are competitions. Learning is not a competition, at least not the part I am participating in.

You could have said my method is inferior any number of other ways. This is why I am so opposed to sarcasm. It establishes your superiority in what is ostensibly a clever way. It is cheap and chickenshit.

Wow, you sure are quick to assume the worst about people and to lash out at them. And to put the worst possible interpretation on their comments, and to delete the parts that refute your preconceptions. I have no animosity toward you and I know nothing about your teaching methods, so your reaction is surprising. My main interest in this board is discussing game shows with people who are knowledgeable about the subject, so I tend to view most subjects here from that perspective.

That is not correct. Skoop is not quick to assume the worst about people, she does not put the worst possible interpretation on comments, and she does not delete things that refute her preconceptions. That last is contrary to her general approach; she appreciates having her preconceptions challenged because of the potential for learning something from a situation.

She did not say there was animosity, she said there was sarcasm, which she has objected to many times in the past, IIRC mostly because of its tendency to stifle discussion and squelch the potential for learning. Your main interest in game shows does not dilute the effect of the sarcasm.

If I had read forward, I woulda just said:

What sprots said.

[SportsFan68]

I have a question for Miss Ritters and other educators.

If I don't turn in my papers on time, why won't teachers and professors ever accept my excuse: "I ate my homework"?

I'm surprised you don't try to blame me....

She is not that kind of a girl.

[Ritterskoop]

I was going to do this in private, but I figured it might as well be public so there would be no concern I was hiding anything.

Ed,

I acknowledge that I overreacted to your comments. I am not apologizing for that, because it is rare that I take action out of a passion. It means something, and I am not taking it back. I may in fact look to do it more often (not specifically to you).

I perceive you as someone who is often correcting other people, on the bored anyway. I can provide you with examples of why I see you this way, if it will be helpful. In private.

For now, I will trust that you understand this perception, whether or not you agree it is accurate. We rarely see ourselves the way others see us, but that is how I see you, as someone who is very focused on pointing out the errors of others.

So when you said what you did about how game shows would not work if they used my teaching model, I got angry. I felt corrected. It was my choice to feel that way, and to respond. Mostly I ignore stuff like that, but some days, I have less resistance than others.

To your comment that you want to make everything be about game shows, you might be happier sticking to threads that are about game shows, rather than inserting comments where they do not fit and can be misinterpreted. That might prevent this sort of misunderstanding next time.

Or not.

Do and say what you like, of course. I am a big fan of free speech. But maybe next time you won't be surprised if someone "lashes out."