“Any questions?” asked Howard. The answer to this never changed. Silence. But it was an interesting breed of silence particular to upscale liberal arts colleges. It was not silent because nobody had anything to say — quite the opposite. You could feel it, Howard could feel it, millions of things to say brewing in thisContinueContinue reading “Classroom Dynamics”
Category Archives: Higher Education
University for Sale?
Ridiculous title award: “[Name removed to protect the innocent] has been elected to serve for a year as the Seventh Prince of Asturias Chair at the BMW Center for German and European Studies at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University.”
What’s up with the hats?
I dislike the look of people who wear hats backwards (a.k.a., “hat boys”). Reading Patrick Allitt’s book, I’m the Teacher, You’re the Student, I realized why. Allitt, who teaches history at Emory, writes: “Then came the trend, starting around 1994, to wear the hats backward, with the bill sticking out behind and the adjustable plasticContinueContinue reading “What’s up with the hats?”
Gender Relations
One of the most consistent complaints I heard from undergraduates at Our Lady’s University concerned the poor gender relations on campus. Two major components were that men and women did not form real friendships often enough and dating did not take place between students. The two dominant ways men and women related to one anotherContinueContinue reading “Gender Relations”
Why Did I Leave OLU?
This weekend, I am going to a meeting at The Louisville Institute for the Study of American Religion to help choose recipients of a book-writing fellowship. The Louisville Institute has been very supportive of my work in the past, giving me both a dissertation fellowship and a large grant to conduct research on conversion. TheyContinueContinue reading “Why Did I Leave OLU?”
Patron Saint of Students
It is often said that nothing brings students to their knees in prayer like an exam does. Because of this, I am often asked who is the Patron Saint of Students. Until recently, my answer was the standard St. Benedict or St. Thomas Acquinas — with a slight preference for the former because his patronageContinueContinue reading “Patron Saint of Students”
Student Differences Revealed!
I’ve been thinking alot lately about the big differences between the students at “Our Lady’s University” and the students at Wake Forest University, as the similarities between them are so striking. Just this week, for some reason, I noticed that Wake Forest students are much more likely to drive Audis than OLU students. The OLUContinueContinue reading “Student Differences Revealed!”
Redemption?
So, after my morning class in which people couldn’t bring themselves to speak, I went to my afternoon class during which we spent the whole hour discussing and debating a single question. One student would make a comment and another five students would raise their hands to weigh in. Not only that, but the topicContinueContinue reading “Redemption?”
Stupefication?
35 students in an introduction to sociology course, in which I’ve tried to cultivate an ethic of participation + a question to which they have prepared a written answer ahead of time = 35 students looking at me as if I am speaking Aramaic when I ask them to discuss their answers to said questionContinueContinue reading “Stupefication?”
“Wasting” Time on Students?
MLK HOLIDAY ’05: THE CAUSE FOR WHICH HE FOUGHT IS STILL A CAUSE, AND THE DREAM FOR WHICH HE DIED IS STILL A DREAM On the brief, five minute walk from the kids’ bus stop to my office last week, I was bothered by a familiar feeling. The first three days of the week IContinueContinue reading ““Wasting” Time on Students?”