Observation...Thankful Students

Sometimes, I have pity on my students and extend deadlines. I remember feeling unprepared to do college level writing when I was in college. Although I prepare them fully to do the work they have to complete in the course, I know I am competing with a myriad of educational deficits that they have accumulated over the years in their primary education. This is not to say that I blame their teachers...it is a complicated web in primary education: parents, peer pressure, life pressure, neglect, lazy students, lazy teachers, apathetic administrators, an onslaught of standardized tests or evaluations (of students and teachers). But, oftentimes, there is no real learning going on. I was only in that sphere of education briefly, but I realized it wasn't for me.

Nevertheless, that is the foundation that ALL students come to college with and the same foundation that professors have to build on OR overcome!

Yesterday, I chose to go back and REBUILD that foundation, and once it was in place I informed my students that "I will not be taking papers up today." I went on to tell them that I wanted them to be successful students and without a proper understanding of the skills they need to write/construct an argument/supplement their opinions with adequate evidence and acknowledge ETHICALLY said information (ESPECIALLY IN A RESEARCH PAPER) they would surely fail OR PLAGIARIZE their papers. (plagiarism is a rampant problem in education when it comes to writing, but that is for another blog post).

In short, several students exhorted, "I LOVE YOU! YOU ARE THE BEST TEACHER EVER!" I know this was said with a mixture of relief and thankfulness on their part, but I was happy to see that many of them cared enough want to do better.

It's nice to know that my students care and even nicer to know that they really appreciate my desire to raise the bar and push them to get a "real education" (which 5 students came up to me after class and confirmed).

Reporting from the Trenches...

Observation: Students Don't Get the Concept of Notes!

Yes, I'm talking for my own benefit. 
No students, don't bother to lift a finger while I go over the DETAILED/FULL OF EXAMPLES/THOROUGH power point outlining the nuances of English Grammar and proper communication WHICH YOU NEED TO KNOW! 


You clearly, already have a degree in ENGLISH, Right?! I'll just continue to stand here and review concepts that have no bearing on your grades or potential to be an eloquent writer and you can just continue to stare back at me like a deer looking at a Mack truck bearing down on it.


Clearly, you don't seem to get the concept that YOU SHOULD BE TAKING NOTES!

Observation: Moms in Minivans drive like Maniacs!

So this is something that I've noticed a lot recently. Moms (and Dads...don't want to unfairly leave out the menfolk who drive their children around when their wives command them to) who drive those monstrous minivans are all MANIACS!

Maybe they are totally PEEVED about the fact that they are relegated to driving such an eye-sore of a vehicle just to function in their day to day lives....but this is no excuse to speed for no apparent reason, cut people off with your massive vehicle, and basically bully other cars that are much better looking. I mean sure your kids are annoying you, but think of the rest of us please!?!

Honestly the sight of a minivan scares me.This could be because I come from a family of 5 and can attest to the activities within the minivan that drive these Moms and Dads into their permanent state of ROAD RAGE! (tehehehehe -- little Jennifer laughing inside) I always find myself cringing at the sight of these vehicles and impulsively let them pass me so that I don't have to wonder what they will erratically do next.

Has anyone else ever witnessed this, or am I alone in my observation?