Somewhere along the way, probably in high school, college students learn that “good” writing means long sentences and big words. But in my experience, most students don’t have the linguistic dexterity to pull this off. It just becomes an overwrought jumble of words and punctuation. Not that I can do much better myself, but IContinueContinue reading “Spare Prose PLEASE!!!”
Category Archives: Higher Education
Duke Lacrosse
Although I doubted their innocence at the outset, thank goodness that justice was done in the end in the infamous Duke lacrosse case. It’s hard to imagine the disruption experienced by the Duke players and coach (exiled from Duke to Bryant College — whatever that is). I couldn’t help but marvel at how unique theContinueContinue reading “Duke Lacrosse”
What We’re Selling, What They’re Buying
Had a conversation with a good colleague the other day who marveled at the fact that the knowledge we are trying to “sell” students in class is the only commodity that people willingly shortchange themselves on. That is, most students pay full price for their courses but want to do as little as possible inContinueContinue reading “What We’re Selling, What They’re Buying”
What the teacher learned
I was reminded the other day at a teaching seminar of this truism: Students may not remember the substance of what you teach, but they will remember how you made them feel. Now, I’m no proponent of “emotivism” as a moral philosophy, but I do know that the professors who took the time to makeContinueContinue reading “What the teacher learned”
I’m Back!
I guess I took the summer off. I didn’t mean to, but teaching summer school wiped out 8 weeks, then I had 4 weeks to do 12 weeks worth of other work. A couple of brief points by way of getting back into things: 1. I (heart) Montreal. Spent a week up there with myContinueContinue reading “I’m Back!”
College Students and Whatever
“Senator Hillary Clinton is being criticized because she recently called today’s college kids lazy and uninformed. A spokesperson for college kids said, ‘Whatever, lady from TV.” –Conan O’Brien
To the Class of 2006
On the occasion of graduation, an excerpt from Alan Lightman’s novel, Reunion (in which the narrator attends his 30th college graduation reunion): “Young people explode with their discovery of the world and the newness of life. They sleep and sleep in their tiny cocoons, and suddenly one day, perhaps in one moment, as in theContinueContinue reading “To the Class of 2006”
My Students Respect Me Enough to Tell the Truth
Recent interaction with a student of mine: Student: Did you try T’s tennis racket? Me: Yes. It didn’t feel quite right, though. It’s very heavy and at the same time very head light. Student: Well, Wilson is coming out with a new line of women’s rackets, aren’t they? Me: Thanks alot.
Speaking of Duke
Speaking of Duke, here’s a quote from a recent New York Times article called “Rebels with a Cross”: [Christian Smith, a University of North Carolina sociologist,] compared the romance of rebellion to the middle-class fascination with hip-hop culture. “Spoiled suburban white kids act like rappers, and there is a real connection to something, but reallyContinueContinue reading “Speaking of Duke”
Student (Dis)Engagement?
From “A Very Long Disengagement” by Mark Bauerlein, Chronicle of Higher Education (6 January 2006): “Last spring Nielsen Media Research reported that the average college student watches 3 hours 41 minutes of television each day. . . . Last year the National Survey of Student Engagement found that 44 percent of first-year students never discussContinueContinue reading “Student (Dis)Engagement?”