I should be in bed right now, but no, I am up late (well, late in the sense that I teach at 8am asfuckingusual) after having finished prepping for the day ahead, and what better time to post on my secret internet computer website? I can relax with a modest cocktail in hand, as I have just written a bitchin’ quiz for one of the courses and designed a workshop day for the other.
Here is the thing about teaching, see: the more things like quizzes and presentations and workshops that you can do in class, the less time you have to spend talking in the front of the room while they stare at you with their dead fish eyes. This is my tip to you, teachers of the internet. You are welcome.
Yes, of course, the real goal — especially in literature and writing classes — is to create an “intellectual discourse community” where “ideas” are bandied about in an enthusiastic yet respectful manner. Yes, I know. The Paedagogical Tastemakers of the Academe vastly prefer the “discourse community” model over the lecture model or the Socratic model, which, while it is fun in that you are allowed to torture students verbally, is apparently only stylish in law schools. I learned about that by watching Legally Blonde, I will have you know.
As hilariously awesome as it would be to teach just like Holland Taylor and Victor Garber (Agent Spy Daddy!) do in that movie, all making Reese Witherspoon cry after she didn’t do the reading assignment, it is just not done in literature classes. Thus, workshopping and discoursing it shall be. At least I still have my reading quizzes, which are one of my few chances to make the little chowderheads cry. Paedagogical Tastemakers of the Academe, you can have my quizzes when you pry them from my cold, dead hard drive.
Bah! Having found the lecture/quiz model to be appropriate in everyday conversation, I fail to see what’s wrong with it in class.
I have taken to being “that guy” the other students resent in some of my classes when I’m not tired. That is, I will gladly chirp what I think is the answer if the prof asks because I assume questions aren’t rhetorical. Other students hate That Guy, but I don’t really care. They are tiny children who don’t appreciate learning, and as such I don’t really give a shit about their opinion of me.
Like this chick in my chem lab this semester: Monday comes around, it’s been two weeks since the last lab on account of Labor Day, and she has managed to show up without doing the post-lab questions. Now, admittedly, I did them during my working hours before class, but at least they were finished. Anyway, she asks me “Can I see your write up?” and gets all offended when I tell her that she mayn’t copy down work I’d taken the trouble to do. Firstly, the lab TA is not stupid enough not to notice and secondly, you won’t learn anything that way you vapid nitwit. I said I’d gladly explain the questions to her and offer some pointers, but that wasn’t good enough.
Now, I committed a lot of academic sins during my first round of college, but I never cheated nor tried, so I can hold the high ground on that at least.
Anyway, more on topic, I say go with the Socratic method because making Freshmen cry is one of the few joys any instructor can look forward to regularly.
8am? Got that beat. I teach a 7:30am for an intro composition course, so you know the freshman are excited. I found out my university (or any American university, for that matter) actually held class at 7:30 at the same time I found out I’d be teaching said class.
You can also try small group work in lieu of lecturing, but you have to prod them to talk, so it requires nominally more effort.
Would like to point out that I used the word ‘pedagogue’ before I read this post, in which you are apparently in love with the word and it’s many variations.
I know, I’m on a comment roll tonight.
You love me.
HA - I know some people who’ve embraced that model in real life, too; I am always so jealous of their social popularity!
T - Jeebus, I would have to cut a bitch who asked to copy my work! That is shitty. (Maybe she cried about it later?)
Pax - 7:30 am Comp classes? That should be illegal! Ugh.
L - you ARE on a comment roll!