tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post5270486878803448241..comments2023-10-19T07:54:32.841-04:00Comments on Quod She: When good classes go badDr. Viragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03960384082670286328noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post-6165874502852872062010-01-17T22:35:30.907-05:002010-01-17T22:35:30.907-05:00I can see why this class took so much of your ener...I can see why this class took so much of your energy.<br /><br />It's really tough when students take things personally. I had a student complain that I was picking on him when I told him that I couldn't accept his paper's (downright ridiculous) claims without sources. He insisted that he "felt" that he was correct, no matter how much I tried to explain that we weren't looking for *feelings*, but for facts. I, too, got a LONG letter describing my every fault as a teacher. In short, it was a "why are you picking on me?" letter. Some students simply can't separate their feelings from their work. Such students, no matter how kind we are to them, make our job very hard some days.Terminal Degreehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16523014953046778630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post-279333099474899252010-01-09T09:02:17.375-05:002010-01-09T09:02:17.375-05:00I am impressed that you attract all sorts and so m...I am impressed that you attract all sorts and so many students -- even if you could do with a few less.Steve Muhlbergerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18136005762428407135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post-38425519860543115182010-01-06T22:22:02.117-05:002010-01-06T22:22:02.117-05:00It's good to see you posting again!!!It's good to see you posting again!!!Sisyphushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09880634753539329199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post-59557396752903086572010-01-06T17:13:51.363-05:002010-01-06T17:13:51.363-05:00Hey, thanks everyone for the comments and moral su...Hey, thanks everyone for the comments and moral support! Sorry it took me a couple of days to come back to this.<br /><br />Elf Eye - OMG, wow. That sounds like a whole heck of a lot more disruptive than any one of my students, but I have had an individual student once, maybe twice, almost that bad. So sorry you had to deal with that!<br /><br />Calista (hey, hi!) and Susan - yeah, the autism spectrum finally occurred to me, too, which helped me be a little more tolerant. Alas, I could share such insights with the rest of the class, so they remained frustrated until I figured out what to do about it all.<br /><br />Oh Emily, I envy your course! I use the Colloquy, but only on the first day. Hm...perhaps I should expand my use of it. My students, too, giggle at 'hwaet segst thu, ierthling'! As for the field changing "student 1," she was waaaaaay out of her depth. Although this was not the change she made, imagine something like pharmacy to English! And she was a *retired* "pharmacist" who hadn't had a college English class in my lifetime!<br /><br />And Erick -- how interesting! Latin as a living language! That's a bit how Drout's Alfred's Grammar works, I guess. But I have to say, since I have no pedagogical training in teaching language as it's done in foreign language departments -- and no models, even, since high school, I'm not sure how I would do that with OE. But I might at least mix in more reading aloud. I really regret not doing that enough.Dr. Viragohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03960384082670286328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post-1688676091052408492010-01-04T18:05:13.413-05:002010-01-04T18:05:13.413-05:00I don't have any advice, either. I just wanted...I don't have any advice, either. I just wanted to say that this was an interesting post.undinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05589384016564587214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post-75462406080454011782010-01-03T23:32:52.922-05:002010-01-03T23:32:52.922-05:00I'm sorry for your trials, but I must say: dan...I'm sorry for your trials, but I must say: dang, it's nice to be reading you again! <br /><br />At some institutions (the University of Kentucky is a notable example) Latin is taught as a living language, where students are required to study it as they would French or Spanish: speaking it in class. I'm no expert, but perhaps admitting to a language's deadness makes it less respected. I find I have fewer troubles in classes -- regardless of level or topic -- the more I get students to respect the project. <br /><br />As for actual advice? I got virtually nothin'. Maybe for running larger classes: do you know McKeachie's <i>Teaching Tips</i>? It's in a new edition -- 14th? It might have something useful for you. I usually find very valuable advice when I periodically dip back into my copy.Erickhttp://www.erickkelemen.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post-64730450714062155662010-01-03T21:44:16.320-05:002010-01-03T21:44:16.320-05:00Also, I am particularly struck by the cautionary t...Also, I am particularly struck by the cautionary tale of Student 1. I am very, very grateful to have been allowed to make a dramatic disciplinary shift into an excellent and collegial program in a new field, but I continued straight on from a very rigorous undergraduate program and was fully prepared to be the slowest, least experienced student in my cohort. Beyond that, the decision to admit me may have made more sense to the committee because I had already taken some courses in the new field, and one of my referees volunteered to write about a knack for languages - crucial for both my own interests and the requirements of the new program. So, I watch some recent developments in admissions here and feel a huge sense of relief and horror that I squeaked by before they wised up. <br /><br />Having said that, I recognize the risks of letting too many switchers in without any way of screening them. It's awful to watch this kind of thing when it goes wrong.Emily Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14157541936205298648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post-33829192736839492532010-01-03T21:33:59.529-05:002010-01-03T21:33:59.529-05:00This was interesting and reassuring to read, preci...This was interesting and reassuring to read, precisely because it's an image of other, more experienced teachers thinking about the things we all dread. Thanks for that. <br /><br />My OE class is a year-long course, so I have more time to play with, but when the students were first starting out with pronouns, beon, and not all that much else in front of them, I used Aelfric's Colloquy to get them reading aloud and trying to hear OE a bit. I was pleased with how many were willing to participate (even in a class of 35-40) when it was slightly less pressure - just read it aloud and then guess some modern English that sounds similar! (e.g., 'baecere', figuring out 'fuglere' and 'munuc', or recognizing 'ic eom', etc. And they are amused by 'hwaet segst thu, ierthling'!) <br /><br />I like your way of running the small group translations, which is a bit more sophisticated than what I tried in some of their first translation assignments. All best for the ME course!Emily Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14157541936205298648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post-28406992692631615702010-01-03T21:16:12.718-05:002010-01-03T21:16:12.718-05:00Welcome back!
It sounds like you handled the diff...Welcome back!<br /><br />It sounds like you handled the difficulties well, especially in coming up with the small groups and organizing them.<br /><br />The personality issues are just a pain sometimes. Sorry you had two in the one class, and then others.Bardiachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11846065504793800266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post-2207707248780656502010-01-03T20:26:39.456-05:002010-01-03T20:26:39.456-05:00I, too, have struggled this past term with the cla...I, too, have struggled this past term with the class that "broke my back" -- teaching to incredibly large and not always functional groups, especially in terms when you're already burdened in other courses and requirements, is seriously draining. I do hope you'll put some of these lessons to immediate use in your ME course!Janicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14093558563358431804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post-68208813579783272622010-01-03T20:10:57.097-05:002010-01-03T20:10:57.097-05:00I'd echo Calista's comment: I have a stude...I'd echo Calista's comment: I have a student who I'm sure is on the autism spectrum -- encyclopedic knowledge about weird things, but terrible at knowing how to read signals. So he annoyed everyone. And then he'd follow me to my office to talk, and talk, and talk. <br /><br />But I think the chemistry of a class is impossible to predict, and you have to wing it on working it out. It sounds as if you were fairly good eventually at figuring out how to manage people. It's always helpful with these to remember that it's not you, it is hte class!Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09716705206734059708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post-59576344074936065182010-01-03T19:34:56.536-05:002010-01-03T19:34:56.536-05:00Wow, what a drag. FWIW, both of your interrupters ...Wow, what a drag. FWIW, both of your interrupters this semester sound like they might have been exhibiting the kind of conversationally tone-deaf compulsion for "correctness" that one sees in the Almost-Autistic (tm). This is of course pure speculation on my part, but if were the case it might make it easier not to take that kind of behavior personally...Calistahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03797201277237608025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post-75320363475381975922010-01-03T18:53:33.405-05:002010-01-03T18:53:33.405-05:00Dr. V., I really am impressed by your creative res...Dr. V., I really am impressed by your creative restructuring of the class. I agree that classes of under 20 are best for just about everything. I rarely get them where I teach, but the few times I have gotten them, they've been spectacular.Notorious Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08700875559325201086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post-7621427506601795232010-01-03T18:39:58.027-05:002010-01-03T18:39:58.027-05:00I had a student who was so disruptive in her inter...I had a student who was so disruptive in her interruptions, which were both physical and verbal, that, working with the Disability Resource Office, I drew up a contract that she had to sign as a condition of remaining in the class. You can glean the nature of the disruptive behavior from the wording of the contract:<br /><br />Terms of Classroom Agreement<br /><br />1. I agree not to disrupt the class with questions, remarks, and/or actions that are off-topic or that distract the instructor or my fellow students from the subject matter being addressed that day.<br />2. I agree to come to class on time. If I do arrive late for any reason, I will not interrupt ongoing activities, discussions, or lectures.<br />3. I understand that the teacher determines if and when the class will take a break, and I will therefore not leave the class on my own initiative except in the case of an emergency.<br />4. I understand that ‘emergency’ must be defined narrowly and does not extend to mere discomfort and restlessness on the part of the student. <br />5. If I do need to leave the class for any reason, I will do so in a quiet and discreet manner. I will not cross in front of the room, and/or I will avoid walking between the instructor and the other students.<br />6. I agree to maintain respect towards my peers and the instructor, particularly with regard to respecting personal boundaries, both in action and in speech.<br />7. I agree to not interrupt the instructor and my classmates but will raise my hand and wait for my turn to speak.<br />8. If I e-mail or telephone my peers or the instructor, I will do so in constructive fashion. I will be both respectful and professional in tone and will take care to remain on-topic, addressing only those issues of genuine relevance to the issue at hand.<br />9. I agree to participate in the class in a constructive manner by helping my peers and by maintaining respect towards the opinions and statements of others when participating in class discussions and other activities.<br />10. If I wish to raise issues of relevance only to myself, such as the grade I received on an assignment, I agree to do so in a patient and respectful fashion after the class is dismissed.<br />11. I agree to keep up with the class material so that I can participate in the class environment in a constructive fashion.<br />12. I understand that attendance—showing up, showing up on time, and remaining for the entire class period—is necessary to fulfill the previous requirement, i.e., to keep up with the class material.<br /><br />By signing this agreement, I acknowledge that I have read the agreement in its entirety and agree to abide by the rules set forth. I also acknowledge that failure to abide by these rules will result in a referral to Judicial Affairs for a violation of the Student Code of Conduct – University Policies of Student Life.<br /><br />This was rather an extreme situation, but I have since addressed many of the above behaviors in a section of my syllabus, a document which, I am sorry to report, has grown increasingly detailed over the past twenty years.<br /><br />And now I think I have broken teh internets with the length of this comment!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17513560254257108105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15231380.post-78916677027690911642010-01-03T18:07:54.560-05:002010-01-03T18:07:54.560-05:00Um, I think I broke teh internets with the length...Um, I think I broke teh internets with the length of this post!Dr. Viragohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03960384082670286328noreply@blogger.com