Sunday, November 20, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Beyond the Lecture
Bits of Advice Given to Students
1. Read at least as much as you eat; write at least as much as you
read.
2. You must grapple with new information in order to understand it
and learn it.
Often, that
means the same thing as hard work.
3. When preparing for a test, close your book/notebook. If you
cannot explain the
concepts in your own
words, you do not know it yet.
4. You will become what you think about, so disagree with negative
self-talk. You are
capable.
5. Connect new content material to your world. For example,
biology became much
more important to me
after my children were born.
6. Do not settle for “good
enough” in any area of your life, including academics.
7. Never choose to be ignorant. Ask questions.
8. If grades were given away, your degree would be worthless. Trust me on this, you
don’t really want that.
9. Unforgiveness will rot your drive by creating emotional blind
spots. Forgive
others, and while you
are at it, forgive yourself.
10. Forsake cruelty, especially
in its most acceptable forms.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
11/11/11: Popular Questions Students Ask Me
I teach adult learners ranging in age from 18 to late 60s.. The following questions almost always come up on the first day of the quarter during introductions. I have included my answers to entertain you.
1. Are you married with kids?
A. Yes. I've been married for 25 years to the same man; we have two kids, a daughter and a son. I adore all of them.
2. Are you qualified to teach us?
A. Yes. At the bachelor's level, I majored in Music and English. I earned a Master's degree in English Education. I have been teaching variously-aged humans longer than some of you have been alive. Granted, some of you began high school the year I was born.
3. How many books do you own?
A. The last count was around 3,000. No, I'm not making that up. Ask my kids. I also own a kindle, and I am growing that library as well.
4. Are you published?
A. No. I have spent most of my time building my career in education and raising my kids. I do, however, write almost every day. I blog, too.
5. Is this English class hard?
A. No. Stone is hard. Brick is hard. English is simply unlearned. Since you are capable of learning new skills, with time and effort, you can master English. You will improve your skills during this quarter.
6. Did you vote for President Obama?
A. No comment. I don't reveal my political views to students because I don't want to isolate one who may disagree. The same goes for my religion.
7. Would you send your children to this school?
A. Yes. In fact, my daughter is a graduate.
8. How old are you?
A. Somewhere after wild and crazy, but before rocking in a chair.
9. Do you give extra credit?
A. Never. If you give your best effort and complete all the assignments, you should have plenty of grades to endure a bad day, so to speak.
10. Do you read every assignment? Including the journals?
A. Yes. If I require you to write it, you can count on me reading it: each essay, each paragraph, each sentence, each word, each syllable gets its day on stage.
11. Were you always a straight A student?
A. No. I made As in music classes. I was an average student in grade school. I made a C in English Comp I, and I failed College Algebra 3 times before finally passing it. I didn't make straight As until I returned to college as an adult learner. I did it, and so can you.
1. Are you married with kids?
A. Yes. I've been married for 25 years to the same man; we have two kids, a daughter and a son. I adore all of them.
2. Are you qualified to teach us?
A. Yes. At the bachelor's level, I majored in Music and English. I earned a Master's degree in English Education. I have been teaching variously-aged humans longer than some of you have been alive. Granted, some of you began high school the year I was born.
3. How many books do you own?
A. The last count was around 3,000. No, I'm not making that up. Ask my kids. I also own a kindle, and I am growing that library as well.
4. Are you published?
A. No. I have spent most of my time building my career in education and raising my kids. I do, however, write almost every day. I blog, too.
5. Is this English class hard?
A. No. Stone is hard. Brick is hard. English is simply unlearned. Since you are capable of learning new skills, with time and effort, you can master English. You will improve your skills during this quarter.
6. Did you vote for President Obama?
A. No comment. I don't reveal my political views to students because I don't want to isolate one who may disagree. The same goes for my religion.
7. Would you send your children to this school?
A. Yes. In fact, my daughter is a graduate.
8. How old are you?
A. Somewhere after wild and crazy, but before rocking in a chair.
9. Do you give extra credit?
A. Never. If you give your best effort and complete all the assignments, you should have plenty of grades to endure a bad day, so to speak.
10. Do you read every assignment? Including the journals?
A. Yes. If I require you to write it, you can count on me reading it: each essay, each paragraph, each sentence, each word, each syllable gets its day on stage.
11. Were you always a straight A student?
A. No. I made As in music classes. I was an average student in grade school. I made a C in English Comp I, and I failed College Algebra 3 times before finally passing it. I didn't make straight As until I returned to college as an adult learner. I did it, and so can you.
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