Grad school adventures - the not-so-awesome

[tzikeh]

Hey, to be fair, mass murder is one method of reducing the student-per-classroom numbers that we haven't tried yet!

My American Government prof uses instant true-or-false pop quizzes during the first two or three days of class to gauge the base knowledge level in the classroom, so that he can adjust his teaching methods and materials accordingly. In the middle of a lecture, he points at a random student, shouts "TRUE OR FALSE!" and then asks a question -- an astoundingly easy question, just to lead into discussion of the topic.

Sadly, my amusement at this technique faded rapidly.

Actual quotes from class:

Prof: "TRUE OR FALSE! (points at freshman woman) We have so much information about the Constitutional Convention because Yassir Arafat kept extensive memoirs while the framers were crafting the Constitution."
Student: "... true? Wait... false. No -- true."

Prof: "TRUE OR FALSE! (sadly, another freshman woman) Jan Schakowsky was the only woman allowed at the Constitutional Convention -- she got in because she was married to the President of the Convention."
Student: "True!" (Jan Schakowsky is currently a U.S. Congresswoman from Illinois)

The best by far (for tragic definitions of "best"), though, was when the Prof asked us to raise our hands for "agree with Bush's decision to go to war with Iraq" or "disagree", in order to set up an on-the-spot debate. All except two of the students raised their hands for "disagree"; the two who didn't raise their hands for disagree didn't raise them for "agree" either. Since they didn't vote, the were the default "agree" team (bet you'll vote next time, hippie).

The "disagree" team presented their case, all of which anyone reading this lj has heard one way or another. Then the "agree" team (again, oy, two freshman women) had to present theirs. They were given instructions by the Prof that they didn't have to agree with what they presented; they simply had to argue that side of the debate.

Student One: "Well... it's really hard to make decisions when bad things are happening. There's a lot of pressure for one person who is running a whole country to make a decision."
Student Two: "And people were mad. So... they needed an outlet. And the war was a way to get rid of anger."

And now, from the "Separated at Birth?" department:



    

    

    

Discuss. Explain. Write fiction. :)

Comments

[amireal.livejournal.com]

We share pain. We really do. I'm stuck in some general ed classes because of all the school transfers and major changes.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Yeah - there are certain requirements I have to fulfill to teach in Illinois, regardless of whether or not they have any bearing on my chosen subject. I get that, but then I have to spend hundreds of dollars per credit hour to take these classes when I could be better spending that money on classes I *actually need*, plus it's just more time I have to spend in school instead of working.

[amireal.livejournal.com]

Yep, a lot of it comes down to that. Plus the slowly sliding hatred for just about anyone under the age of 22 in any of my classes.

i.e. There's this one class full of freshmen. *criez*

[fayths-abandyn.livejournal.com]

Wait? Wouldn't that make sense? We actually take classes we NEED and not classes that we're required to take because some guy counts the dollar signs and goes "We need more! Up the requirements!" I remember some girl was refused graduation from HIGH SCHOOL because she didn't fill her Phys Ed requirements. She was 1 credit short. D: She was going to be some sort of scientist, who needs phys ed when you're going to be doing something like that?!

[amilyn.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. The uncanny resmeblance between nowadays Lis Sladen and Mary McDonnell was much commented upon and giggled over.

I DO think that Lis is quite rather shorter, though, and I'm glad she's working with kids just so that she doesn't have to keep running full-tilt in 3-inch heels just to keep her in shot with all the Tall Folks. :-D

[dorothy1901]

Oh no, you posted screen caps of Sarah Jane Smith. Now I must watch minute 12 of School Reunion again. ::fires up the external hard drive::

[namastenancy.livejournal.com]

I share your pain about freshmen; I have returned to school as a retiree and thought that it would be a good idea to take my basic classes at our local community college. Two years of dealing with idiots with iPods, text messaging and dumbing down classes have taught me the error of my ways.

[cereta.livejournal.com]

Dude, my world and welcome to it.

Also, I am pleased to see you discover Sarah Jane ;).

[carla-scribbles.livejournal.com]

Cylons. Clearly.

... alas, I do not know the Who, or I would be writing that right now. Because oooooh, pretty.

[xenacryst.livejournal.com]

*headdesk*
*headdesk*
*headdesk*

Ow. Ok, I have a serious question: how does your prof keep from gaping, open-mouthed, in sputtering nonspeech, after he gets an incorrect answer like this? 'Cause that's the only reaction I'd be able to accomplish.

[anoel.livejournal.com]

Wow. So sad that they wouldn't know that. Buy yay for not agreeing with the war!

Yeah, they do look reaally similar.