The classes seem active and energetic. I listened to all the introduction in the Monday/Wednesday class and most in the Tuesday/Thursday. In the latter class there were some absences so on Thursday we'll also get to listen to reasons for missing and the class will vote on whether or not they buy the reasons.
But why is it so hard for my students to get the concept of "the general purpose." On the prep sheet I've worked and worked to make the response simple but they always want to go beyond "to inform," "to persuade," or "to entertain." Sigh.
It's also interesting that classes sometimes seems to have grouped delivery problems. By that I mean some classes have a preponderance of "um" sayers while others have dancers or manuscript readers. There were more ummers in my MW class and more leg twisters in the TTh.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
First Week
Just two classes this week. What a life, huh? Almost as little work as a university professor. One class meets T Th, the other MW, each for one and a quarter hours. Classes around the campus are packed. Hard times are good times for community colleges. I think enrollment is up 20%.
The first week is always interesting because I present myself as, well, something of a goofball. After I take role and cast out the overflow of the wait list, I have them play a game I call "toss." The rules for toss are 1. Toss the object over the head of at least one other student. 2. Don't let the object hit the floor. The four objects are two white, squeaky dog balls, a koosh ball, and a stuffed cat. Usually the students start laughing as the objects fly around the room. Then, after I collect the four things, I tell them, "I have you play this game for a reason. It amuses me." They laugh. "But there's also a good pedagogical reason. I think that the skills and attitudes you need to succeed at Toss are similar to the skills and attitudes you need as a public speaker." And then I have them brainstorm. Oh, you know. Eye contact. Body language. Awareness. Verbal skills.
Classes are always so different from each other, even when the subject matter is the same. My MW class was so quiet. They had some good ideas but not many people seemed willing to share. My T Th class is a bit more talkative. It may be because the MW class is at 8:50 and the TTh class at 12:45.
Not all my goofiness is intentional, sadly enough. In my MW class I got confused about the time on Wednesday and started at 8:45 instead of 8:50. Fortunately one young man called my attention to my error. Thank goodness for students who speak up. And today, in the TTh class as one of the young women students walked out at the end of class she told me I had something white on my cheek. Great! She rubbed it off and I rubbed at it. It was some of my face cream that no one else had bothered to notice. Sigh. Reminded me of the time I spent a half hour lecturing in a movie class and then one student took a break and as she walked past me she turned away from the class and said, "Your fly is unzipped." Such minor embarrassments help me keep my humanity, or so I tell myself.
But, as I look at the interesting mix of students, I have to agree with the VPI (vice president of instruction): "It's going to be the best year ever!"
The first week is always interesting because I present myself as, well, something of a goofball. After I take role and cast out the overflow of the wait list, I have them play a game I call "toss." The rules for toss are 1. Toss the object over the head of at least one other student. 2. Don't let the object hit the floor. The four objects are two white, squeaky dog balls, a koosh ball, and a stuffed cat. Usually the students start laughing as the objects fly around the room. Then, after I collect the four things, I tell them, "I have you play this game for a reason. It amuses me." They laugh. "But there's also a good pedagogical reason. I think that the skills and attitudes you need to succeed at Toss are similar to the skills and attitudes you need as a public speaker." And then I have them brainstorm. Oh, you know. Eye contact. Body language. Awareness. Verbal skills.
Classes are always so different from each other, even when the subject matter is the same. My MW class was so quiet. They had some good ideas but not many people seemed willing to share. My T Th class is a bit more talkative. It may be because the MW class is at 8:50 and the TTh class at 12:45.
Not all my goofiness is intentional, sadly enough. In my MW class I got confused about the time on Wednesday and started at 8:45 instead of 8:50. Fortunately one young man called my attention to my error. Thank goodness for students who speak up. And today, in the TTh class as one of the young women students walked out at the end of class she told me I had something white on my cheek. Great! She rubbed it off and I rubbed at it. It was some of my face cream that no one else had bothered to notice. Sigh. Reminded me of the time I spent a half hour lecturing in a movie class and then one student took a break and as she walked past me she turned away from the class and said, "Your fly is unzipped." Such minor embarrassments help me keep my humanity, or so I tell myself.
But, as I look at the interesting mix of students, I have to agree with the VPI (vice president of instruction): "It's going to be the best year ever!"
Monday, September 15, 2008
Starting Soon
So, it's about to start again. I'm entering my twentieth year at COCC and my 25th year as a speech comm. teacher. This quarter I plan to ask my students, AFTER they've received their grades back, if they mind me mentioning them by name in the blog. I also hope to deconstruct at least one commercial every couple of weeks. So far nothing's excited me like the Fritalians or Pepsi Max. But we'll see what comes up. There's so much political crap-trap right now. I find most political ads stultifying and annoying. I've been irritated by political advertising since the famous "daisy ad" which, as a fan of LBJ (when I was in, what, 6th grade?) I believed in that ad.
One of my favorite jokes. An old guy is asked, in 1966, who he voted for in the last election. He says, "People told me that if I voted for Goldwater in 1964 we'd be in a war. So I did and we are." A little historical humor. Just to remind all of us that the future is a mystery.
Or, as Criswell once said in some Ed Wood movie, "The stars do not compel, they only impel."
One of my favorite jokes. An old guy is asked, in 1966, who he voted for in the last election. He says, "People told me that if I voted for Goldwater in 1964 we'd be in a war. So I did and we are." A little historical humor. Just to remind all of us that the future is a mystery.
Or, as Criswell once said in some Ed Wood movie, "The stars do not compel, they only impel."
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