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.