wild_rose
Uncharacteristically optimistic
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 9,729
The thrill of modern postism!
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« Reply #30 on: November 24, 2009, 05:14:47 PM » |
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I found out today that my most difficult/ornery section of Intro students not only have a sense of humor, but become more engaged in the class when I do my (what I think of as cheezy) stand-up comic routine. I thought they would groan! (Remember, I complained on another thread that I'm not a stand-up comic. Maybe I should be.)
We were talking about cultural norms and I showed a photo of a very elaborate dinner place-setting, complete with bread plates and 3 forks and the whole thing. Then I told a story about how different subcultures in the U.S. have different sets of norms about the same thing, like setting the table. I mentioned that I'm from a blue-collar background, and our place settings consisted of a plate, knife, fork and spoon, a water glass (sometimes), sometimes napkins (when we remembered them) and a mug for coffee. And I did a little experiment with my family at Thanksgiving once where I set the table and included bread plates, and everyone looked quizzically at them. My sister in law said, "What is this plate for?"
Most students laughed and had stories of their own to contribute, about setting the table, using multiple forks and/or bread plates, and so on. Suddenly, they woke up and became lively. It was amazing.
The most difficult thing I've found about VAP-ing and region-hopping is figuring out what approach is going to work best. Clearly students at the University at the End of the Universe respond well to humor, even if it is cheezy.
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"[M]y toast just landed jelly side up so I think that bodes well for averting world-ending disasters. I have faith in bread although the toasted aspect may mean you're going to have withstand some heat for a brief time and some aloe jelly will come in handy." --Notaprof, the Great Seer
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roguerouge
Junior member
Posts: 82
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« Reply #31 on: November 24, 2009, 06:33:34 PM » |
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I got a class full of media majors to go from hostility to mild interest on the subject of fanvids. I was so pleased, I sent a thank you to one of the major authors I used.
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"Art is the demonstration that the ordinary is extraordinary."
- Amedee Ozenfant, Foundations of Modern Art
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lotsoquestions
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« Reply #32 on: November 27, 2009, 04:23:27 PM » |
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I teach the required course that everyone hates. Apparently I'm doing such a great job with it that i now have a couple of students lobbying for a follow-on required course that everyone hates. It means we might actually have to hire someone else as a specialist in that subject that everyone hates.
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kch04003
New member
Posts: 21
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« Reply #33 on: December 02, 2009, 10:11:51 PM » |
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One of my students missed class early in the semester because his best friend died unexpectedly and my student had to attend the funeral. I sincerely worried about him and made a point to check up on him throughout the semester....his friend died (most likely) from suicide (it happened on campus) and I was concerned about my student's mental health. Well anyway, he's a college freshman and Computer Science major in my English class. During a conference for his second paper he tells me that he enjoys creative writing and asks if he can send me some of his short stories. Inside my head I was dancing but I calmly said to him, "of course you can." He's planning on majoring in Creative Writing :)
Another story...I initially thought I would be having problems with one of my students - when I handed back everyone's first graded papers, she stands up and says "I am so angry!!" I was just like oh jeese.... But she's really opened up to me throughout the semester and even came out to me that she's bisexual. She also asked me for advice about transferring from our school. The fact that both these students trusted me enough to share personal problems and stories with me really means a lot to me. Not the least because it's my first time teaching.
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Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before, how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever.
- Isak Dinesen
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peppergal
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« Reply #34 on: December 02, 2009, 10:34:43 PM » |
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One year, while teaching freshman comp, I asked my students on the first day of class to write down some genres that they read for fun (i.e. not school-related). One student wrote, "Honestly, I have never read anything for fun in my life. I hate to read."
Three weeks later, he came bouncing into class looking extremely enthusiastic about something. We had just started a new novel (I had assigned the first three chapters), and I started with my usual question about first impressions. The non-reader student raised his hand, and before I even finished saying his name burst out with, "This is the greatest thing I have ever read. I haven't slept for two days and I skipped my physics class because I had to finish it, even though you only assigned the first three chapters and I just couldn't put it down!" The rest of the class laughed a little, but it started a really good discussion about why the novel was so compelling, how it grabbed their attention (it turned out that they had all read ahead), etc.
Six months later I ran into that same student browsing in a local bookstore. He told me that I had changed his life, and that since my class he was actually reading for fun and enjoying it. We had a nice conversation about what I read for fun, and I recommended some books for him. It just gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling.
What was the novel? Sounds like one I need to add to my reading list! Sorry for my belated response. I didn't see the query before. The novel was Perfume by Patrick Suskind. I find it creepy but compelling, and I'm fascinated by the way the author uses language. |
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new_bus_prof
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« Reply #35 on: December 02, 2009, 11:12:30 PM » |
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Covering winner's curse... Several students just didn't believe this happens with real organizations. Several of my accounting students informed me that all transactions and accounts must balance, that's the way it is. I ask one student to explain what goodwill is in accounting. Student starts explaining in a rush, and slows down towards the end ... I swear it was like watching several light bulbs flash on right in a row.
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gennimom
Somewhat Southern (Have I really posted that much?)
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 16,767
Let's get summer over with! Me want snow!
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« Reply #36 on: December 02, 2009, 11:19:40 PM » |
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Just loving this and marking the page so that I get the updates. No lightbulb moments so far, but some seemed to get a little brighter.
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...only after reading gm's post, my new mantra is "always listen to gennimom".
Monday reeks! - Garfield The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a person (or something like that). |
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euro_ir_nerd
I Can't Believe It's Not A
Junior member
Posts: 65
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« Reply #37 on: December 03, 2009, 03:30:41 AM » |
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One year, while teaching freshman comp, I asked my students on the first day of class to write down some genres that they read for fun (i.e. not school-related). One student wrote, "Honestly, I have never read anything for fun in my life. I hate to read."
Three weeks later, he came bouncing into class looking extremely enthusiastic about something. We had just started a new novel (I had assigned the first three chapters), and I started with my usual question about first impressions. The non-reader student raised his hand, and before I even finished saying his name burst out with, "This is the greatest thing I have ever read. I haven't slept for two days and I skipped my physics class because I had to finish it, even though you only assigned the first three chapters and I just couldn't put it down!" The rest of the class laughed a little, but it started a really good discussion about why the novel was so compelling, how it grabbed their attention (it turned out that they had all read ahead), etc.
Six months later I ran into that same student browsing in a local bookstore. He told me that I had changed his life, and that since my class he was actually reading for fun and enjoying it. We had a nice conversation about what I read for fun, and I recommended some books for him. It just gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling.
What was the novel? Sounds like one I need to add to my reading list! Sorry for my belated response. I didn't see the query before. The novel was Perfume by Patrick Suskind. I find it creepy but compelling, and I'm fascinated by the way the author uses language. I think I stayed up until 4am to finish this book when I read it so I can relate to your students. |
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wilbrish
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« Reply #38 on: December 03, 2009, 11:27:32 AM » |
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A student came up to me and showed me a pic she took on her cell phone. We had been talking about hidden agendas in advertisements and what is really being said by the images, text, etc. She took a pic of a billboard that she thought had some interesting hidden messages and wanted to show me. We did that unit months before, but she remembered what I said.
It was nice.
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spectacle
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« Reply #39 on: December 03, 2009, 11:51:22 AM » |
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In a class that addresses a lot of media history, the evolution of news and the role of journalists in wartime, I showed the film Control Room yesterday. I was really, really nervous because the students here tend to be conservative and I didn't want them to think I was trying to feed them ideology.
We had a very thoughtful, interesting conversation about objectivity. I was startled and delighted. Good students!
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I think this thread is going well. Don't you think this thread is going well?
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apollo
I carry this card everywhere I go, because I'm a
Member
Posts: 190
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« Reply #40 on: December 03, 2009, 01:34:37 PM » |
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this thread is so much better than the teaching despair thread. AWESOME! I love it. I will keep reading this one instead...
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changinggears
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« Reply #41 on: December 04, 2009, 02:34:42 PM » |
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On the last night of class (before the final), a student asked me if I would be teaching the course again next semester and when. I assumed she was asking because she wanted to avoid taking me again. When I said I wasn't sure, they replied that they wanted to know so that if they failed the class they could take me again. I'm not sure if it is a victory to have a student fail the course, but it was a compliment to know that they would take me again despite doing so.
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Quote from conjugate:
I am impressed at the level of self-awareness you show in describing your posts as "digital diarrhea," however.
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professor_pat
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« Reply #42 on: December 04, 2009, 02:49:20 PM » |
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Yesterday as I was coming into the classroom for our last day of class, I heard some students talking, saying they were sorry the class was coming to an end, that they'd miss the class, that they loved it! Yippee!
(Thanks for this thread...wouldn't feel comfortable sharing that little bit of happiness at work...)
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To me, forums are more of a relaxing period in which the poster can allow himself or himself to be lost in a sea of wonder.
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llanfair
Village idiot and Very
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 22,200
Whither Canada?
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« Reply #43 on: December 04, 2009, 02:54:46 PM » |
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We had our end-of-term review yesterday <interthreaduality alert> and I did my usual keywords-all-over-the-board, joined with lines to show interrelatedness. (The students suggest the keywords and the connections - I'm just aiding and abetting.)
When we were done, several of them came up and took pictures of the board with their cellphones!
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Because, you know, that stuff on the syllabus is like, in writing, and there are so many ways you can, like, read that, but when the guys who sit by you in class, like, you know, must know what's really going on, right? -- AmLitHist, channelling student
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post_functional
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« Reply #44 on: December 04, 2009, 08:23:54 PM » |
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this thread is so much better than the teaching despair thread. AWESOME! I love it. I will keep reading this one instead...
It's also so much shorter.... |
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Action is his reward.
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