Today's title comes from a Go-Gos song. (If you click on the previous rock group name, you will get to their video homepage where you find the drop-down menu on "playlist" and watch the "Vacation" music video.)
I turned in grades today and am done for the quarter. A few "chairy" things to take care of over break and I need to update my knowledge for the small groups class before next quarter.
It is SOOOO cold. Yesterday when I walked to work I was very pleased to have the beanie knit for me by Scott, the young man who performed the enjoyable persuasive speech about his hand made beanies. Obviously, the speech was a success. Actually, his beanies looked so good that I was half sold before the speech. A good product may be said to sell itself. As a speech teacher I really hate to admit that.
So, I bought some wool yarn at Gossamer and hired Scott to make a red wool beanie. He got it done before the day of the final. And I was so glad yesterday when I walked to school in the snow. That beanie kept my ears from falling right off!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Problematic Public Praise
My use of alliteration in the headline echoes the evocative speech assignment. In this last presentation students are supposed to use a rhetorical figure in a speech that evokes liking for a person special to them. They are to give a celebratory toast or eulogy for that person as if they are at a special occasion (wedding, funeral, birthday or anniversary party). Most people choose family members or mentors.
In my Tuesday/Thursday class the first speaker of the day gave a toast to me. It was a good speech, one that fulfilled all the requirements of the assignment. Nevertheless, it left me feeling uneasy. I want to take some time here to clarify my discomfort.
Public praise of a professor by a current student is always problematic because it raises questions about appropriate response and performance motivation.
When a student praises me in front of other students or teachers, I feel caught between two different ways of responding. Because I respect and really like almost all my students, I want to show my gratitude for the praise and respond in a friendly manner (smile, sparkling eyes, head nod, saying "thanks"). This response honors the work of the student and treats him or her as authentic and honest.
But what if the person praising is not honest? What if the praise is "merely" flattery? An attempt to get a good grade? If I respond publicly to flattery with kindness and a smile, will the people observing the interaction think I'm gullible? Or what if the praise is not only flattery, but mocking flattery? What if the student is trying to show that I'm an idiot and has set me up? (I imagine a conversation prior to the praise: "Hey, want to see her take the hook? I bet she'll believe it.") If I am being flattered or mocked, I need to respond by showing that I can't be taken in, that I can't be seduced so easily. I need to use a tone of voice that suggests incredulity. I need to use facial movements to emphasize my disbelief: a crooked smile and a single raised eyebrow.
But I'm not a good actor. Hard for me to contort my face on command. Impossible to raise a single eyebrow. I pretty much show exactly what I'm thinking most of the time. And I generally think of my students with affection and accept them as honest, decent people. So, I usually respond to praise with sincere thanks. Yet, because I know that some people ARE duplicitous and that I AM pretty darn gullible, I always feel uncomfortable when I'm praised by someone who owns less social currency (re: power) than I. (And yes, this includes newer faculty and staff as well as students.)
So, the key to becoming comfortable being publicly praised is clearly in learning to figure out what is motivating the praise. In other words, I need to be able to read minds. Hmm. I wonder if there's a community ed class I could take?
Confession:
My own history is riddled with stories of deep affection (sometimes inappropriate affection -- "yes reader, I married him") for teachers. I realized when I started studying Kenneth Burke and persuasion theory that my feelings of connection for my professors may actually have been a "survival" mechanism. All through my life in school I have tried to make most of my teachers have personal relationships with me. I am most probably a kinesthetic learner with musical/rhythmic intelligence. It's very hard for me to learn just from reading or listening. I have to engage teachers in personal interaction. In my youth those classroom relationships became inappropriately obsessive. [I had horrible crushes on my three high school teachers: Mr. Ridgely (English), Mr. Barrans (Latin), and Mr. Glasner (drama).]
Another aspect of my past that impacts my present is the fact that I shuttled between being an outcast and a leader and often a mixture of both from fourth grade until, well, now. Sometimes I was a scapegoat for others to blame and sometimes I was an entertainer people enjoyed.
Though not impossible, it's very difficult for someone to perform in an improvisational context like the classroom without drawing on his or her own personal history. Though in my mid-fifties and mostly sane, I am still Kakie Hanson. Thus, I am beset by doubts about the motivations of others when they are nice to me.
TMI? Perhaps. But I wanted to get it down.
In my Tuesday/Thursday class the first speaker of the day gave a toast to me. It was a good speech, one that fulfilled all the requirements of the assignment. Nevertheless, it left me feeling uneasy. I want to take some time here to clarify my discomfort.
Public praise of a professor by a current student is always problematic because it raises questions about appropriate response and performance motivation.
When a student praises me in front of other students or teachers, I feel caught between two different ways of responding. Because I respect and really like almost all my students, I want to show my gratitude for the praise and respond in a friendly manner (smile, sparkling eyes, head nod, saying "thanks"). This response honors the work of the student and treats him or her as authentic and honest.
But what if the person praising is not honest? What if the praise is "merely" flattery? An attempt to get a good grade? If I respond publicly to flattery with kindness and a smile, will the people observing the interaction think I'm gullible? Or what if the praise is not only flattery, but mocking flattery? What if the student is trying to show that I'm an idiot and has set me up? (I imagine a conversation prior to the praise: "Hey, want to see her take the hook? I bet she'll believe it.") If I am being flattered or mocked, I need to respond by showing that I can't be taken in, that I can't be seduced so easily. I need to use a tone of voice that suggests incredulity. I need to use facial movements to emphasize my disbelief: a crooked smile and a single raised eyebrow.
But I'm not a good actor. Hard for me to contort my face on command. Impossible to raise a single eyebrow. I pretty much show exactly what I'm thinking most of the time. And I generally think of my students with affection and accept them as honest, decent people. So, I usually respond to praise with sincere thanks. Yet, because I know that some people ARE duplicitous and that I AM pretty darn gullible, I always feel uncomfortable when I'm praised by someone who owns less social currency (re: power) than I. (And yes, this includes newer faculty and staff as well as students.)
So, the key to becoming comfortable being publicly praised is clearly in learning to figure out what is motivating the praise. In other words, I need to be able to read minds. Hmm. I wonder if there's a community ed class I could take?
Confession:
My own history is riddled with stories of deep affection (sometimes inappropriate affection -- "yes reader, I married him") for teachers. I realized when I started studying Kenneth Burke and persuasion theory that my feelings of connection for my professors may actually have been a "survival" mechanism. All through my life in school I have tried to make most of my teachers have personal relationships with me. I am most probably a kinesthetic learner with musical/rhythmic intelligence. It's very hard for me to learn just from reading or listening. I have to engage teachers in personal interaction. In my youth those classroom relationships became inappropriately obsessive. [I had horrible crushes on my three high school teachers: Mr. Ridgely (English), Mr. Barrans (Latin), and Mr. Glasner (drama).]
Another aspect of my past that impacts my present is the fact that I shuttled between being an outcast and a leader and often a mixture of both from fourth grade until, well, now. Sometimes I was a scapegoat for others to blame and sometimes I was an entertainer people enjoyed.
Though not impossible, it's very difficult for someone to perform in an improvisational context like the classroom without drawing on his or her own personal history. Though in my mid-fifties and mostly sane, I am still Kakie Hanson. Thus, I am beset by doubts about the motivations of others when they are nice to me.
TMI? Perhaps. But I wanted to get it down.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Monday Wednesday Finish Up
A few final comments about my Monday Wednesday class.
I forgot to mention that Jenna's speech on why we should get rid of the penny was an excellent presentation that made great use of source material. She also did a great job with her powerpoint visuals.
Today was the final and I had one student who chose to get an F in the course by not giving the make-up of his persuasive presentation. I feel sad about that. Of those who did do their make-up speeches, I was most impressed by Melissa's energy in her speech on recycling as a way of fighting global warming. She had great eye contact and dynamic gestures. She also wore a green shirt to go with her green emphasis.
Another student asked if I would mind if he'd take another class I was teaching.
"I know I'm a terrible student," he said.
I really don't like that concept. There is no such thing as a "good student" or a "bad student." There are students who make choices that aid them in getting good grades or in learning and there are students who make choices that don't aid them. I told this student, "You make choices that I wouldn't make."
The only students that I would think of as "bad students" are those who hurt other people intentionally. I don't mind when people choose against their own academic success. I respect those choices.
I forgot to mention that Jenna's speech on why we should get rid of the penny was an excellent presentation that made great use of source material. She also did a great job with her powerpoint visuals.
Today was the final and I had one student who chose to get an F in the course by not giving the make-up of his persuasive presentation. I feel sad about that. Of those who did do their make-up speeches, I was most impressed by Melissa's energy in her speech on recycling as a way of fighting global warming. She had great eye contact and dynamic gestures. She also wore a green shirt to go with her green emphasis.
Another student asked if I would mind if he'd take another class I was teaching.
"I know I'm a terrible student," he said.
I really don't like that concept. There is no such thing as a "good student" or a "bad student." There are students who make choices that aid them in getting good grades or in learning and there are students who make choices that don't aid them. I told this student, "You make choices that I wouldn't make."
The only students that I would think of as "bad students" are those who hurt other people intentionally. I don't mind when people choose against their own academic success. I respect those choices.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Persuasive Speeches
We've come to the end of the persuasive speeches for the quarter. Oh, yeah. Except for the make-up speeches by people who for reasons of illness or slacking didn't get their act together and need to give their speech in the final exam period.
So, what I'm going to do in this entry is talk about the most memorable speeches rather than going over all permitted performances.
Monday/Wednesday Class
Laura's presentation about why we should start saving for retirement now took a dry subject and made it real to the young audience. She proved that social security is collapsing and showed us through her visual aids how much money we could have if we put something away every week. (The audience in the M/W class is largely very young.)
In that same class Tylor showed up in a suit and tie. I love seeing students dressing up in a speech class. When I took speech way back in 1971 we were required to dress up. But the culture has become much more casual. Tylor also spoke with great energy and sincerity. He has a lovely natural style and I think he could become an excellent presenter.
Brian did a good job walking the line between the pro-choice and pro-life believers in a speech in which he tried to convince us that the wording of the abortion laws could lead to confusion in other laws. It was a new argument to me and I thought I would never hear any new arguments in the overwrought abortion debate.
Tuesday/Thursday Class
Andrew's speech about animal cruelty was well adapted to his audience and well structured. He did a good job referring to his source material. He spoke with energy as he told us how we could support PETA.
(An aside: Whenever I think about PETA, though, I gotta tell you that I think about what they would members would say or do about my fur coats. I received a "look" from a young woman on campus last week who asked me, eyebrows down, "Is that a real fur?!?" Yup.)
I was deeply impressed by Ryan's arguments against gun control. He spoke with passion, offered plenty of supporting evidence, and made some excellent points about the necessity of citizens owning and understanding guns. I say this not because I too believe in the importance of an armed citizenry but because he did the work required by the assignment. The speech re-convinced me that all liberals and gays (my people) should definitely be armed and train their children to be capable of handling guns. I'm a big believer The price of freedom is eternal vigilance as Tom Jefferson said. And yes, I have a Deschutes County permit to carry a concealed weapon, just in case you're wondering.
Acacia's speech on homelessness in Central Oregon made excellent use of local statistics. I really love when students choose topics that aren't national and stick to our area. She quoted from governmental sources and gave us the names of organizations we could support, like The Shepherd's House.
What else?
Almost everyone in both classes has improved their delivery over the quarter, which is as it should be. I have been a bit surprised at times when people have chosen not to follow directions and turned in poor outlines. A few folks have turned in essays rather than outlines which, as the directions state, is an automatic zero. But I figure that these folks made their choice to get a zero or made their choice to avoid reading the directions. (I mean, like, there are gigantic arrows pointing to that particular rule!)
So, what I'm going to do in this entry is talk about the most memorable speeches rather than going over all permitted performances.
Monday/Wednesday Class
Laura's presentation about why we should start saving for retirement now took a dry subject and made it real to the young audience. She proved that social security is collapsing and showed us through her visual aids how much money we could have if we put something away every week. (The audience in the M/W class is largely very young.)
In that same class Tylor showed up in a suit and tie. I love seeing students dressing up in a speech class. When I took speech way back in 1971 we were required to dress up. But the culture has become much more casual. Tylor also spoke with great energy and sincerity. He has a lovely natural style and I think he could become an excellent presenter.
Brian did a good job walking the line between the pro-choice and pro-life believers in a speech in which he tried to convince us that the wording of the abortion laws could lead to confusion in other laws. It was a new argument to me and I thought I would never hear any new arguments in the overwrought abortion debate.
Tuesday/Thursday Class
Andrew's speech about animal cruelty was well adapted to his audience and well structured. He did a good job referring to his source material. He spoke with energy as he told us how we could support PETA.
(An aside: Whenever I think about PETA, though, I gotta tell you that I think about what they would members would say or do about my fur coats. I received a "look" from a young woman on campus last week who asked me, eyebrows down, "Is that a real fur?!?" Yup.)
I was deeply impressed by Ryan's arguments against gun control. He spoke with passion, offered plenty of supporting evidence, and made some excellent points about the necessity of citizens owning and understanding guns. I say this not because I too believe in the importance of an armed citizenry but because he did the work required by the assignment. The speech re-convinced me that all liberals and gays (my people) should definitely be armed and train their children to be capable of handling guns. I'm a big believer The price of freedom is eternal vigilance as Tom Jefferson said. And yes, I have a Deschutes County permit to carry a concealed weapon, just in case you're wondering.
Acacia's speech on homelessness in Central Oregon made excellent use of local statistics. I really love when students choose topics that aren't national and stick to our area. She quoted from governmental sources and gave us the names of organizations we could support, like The Shepherd's House.
What else?
Almost everyone in both classes has improved their delivery over the quarter, which is as it should be. I have been a bit surprised at times when people have chosen not to follow directions and turned in poor outlines. A few folks have turned in essays rather than outlines which, as the directions state, is an automatic zero. But I figure that these folks made their choice to get a zero or made their choice to avoid reading the directions. (I mean, like, there are gigantic arrows pointing to that particular rule!)
Monday, November 24, 2008
Wednesday/Thursday Third Week November
We've started persuasive speaking with a small first round in each class.
In Wednesday's class, Zach made the effort to convince us that Southpark is more than just a gross and annoying adult cartoon but that it was satire with a positive impact on society. Scott wanted us to commit to recycling and showed some images of a messy earth. Veronica had some powerful stories about Kentucky Fried Chicken's abuse of poultry as well as their poor nutrition and Andrea chose to attack powerdrinks, a topic very well related to her audience.
In Thursday's class, one student went to the trouble of making her own costume, a t-shirt celebrating the Haight, a major gay meeting area in San Francisco. Her passionate speech focused on the rights of gay people to marry. Abby spoke from the heart about the problem of teens and adults drinking and driving and convinced us to take the keys from friends who drink. Calvin spoke with passion about why we should support the death penalty. We had two make up informative speeches as well. Kelly spoke with humor and personal creditility about the ranching life in Oregon. Chloe gave us an overview of ball handling in basketball and had her live visual aid show us some moves.
In Wednesday's class, Zach made the effort to convince us that Southpark is more than just a gross and annoying adult cartoon but that it was satire with a positive impact on society. Scott wanted us to commit to recycling and showed some images of a messy earth. Veronica had some powerful stories about Kentucky Fried Chicken's abuse of poultry as well as their poor nutrition and Andrea chose to attack powerdrinks, a topic very well related to her audience.
In Thursday's class, one student went to the trouble of making her own costume, a t-shirt celebrating the Haight, a major gay meeting area in San Francisco. Her passionate speech focused on the rights of gay people to marry. Abby spoke from the heart about the problem of teens and adults drinking and driving and convinced us to take the keys from friends who drink. Calvin spoke with passion about why we should support the death penalty. We had two make up informative speeches as well. Kelly spoke with humor and personal creditility about the ranching life in Oregon. Chloe gave us an overview of ball handling in basketball and had her live visual aid show us some moves.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Monday/Wednesday First Week November
It's Monday and I haven't yet written about the two days of informative speeches in my Monday/Wednesday class last week. A number of people in the class didn't sign in the first day to give me permission to use their names. So comments on them are left out.
In defense of my procrastination, I'll say that I spent too much time looking for an old picture of myself bird-hunting that I could display along with my discussion of one student's speech. Unfortunately, the graphics file from 2002 was hopelessly corrupted. Sigh. So you won't get to see a picture of me with a shotgun in one hand and a big, phat pheasant-boy in the other.
Monday, November 3
Best-Speeches-of-the-Day Award for Wednesday is shared by Rheanna and Melissa for their speeches on SCFE and cannibalism, respectively. Rheanna researched the personal topic of Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis, a hip problem of adolescents. She went beyond telling us of her experience by offering appropriate research about the disease as well as very interesting visual aids. She also spoke with energetic and calm assurance. Melissa shared fascinating information about the pathological, emergency, and social reasons for cannibalism. Because of the great taboos around the activity, it's a fascinating topic. She was clear about her sources of information and her speech was very well organized and easy to follow.
In defense of my procrastination, I'll say that I spent too much time looking for an old picture of myself bird-hunting that I could display along with my discussion of one student's speech. Unfortunately, the graphics file from 2002 was hopelessly corrupted. Sigh. So you won't get to see a picture of me with a shotgun in one hand and a big, phat pheasant-boy in the other.
Monday, November 3
I was impressed with our speakers who shared their personal lives today, including Brian and Ashley. Brian made great eye contact and looked very calm as he talked about diabetes and Ashley engaged with the audience in a very profession, interactive manner during her explanation of TMJ. Lance shared his personal experience with cancer as he spoke to us about different types of the disease.
Others shared their personal interest in sporting events. Becca also spoke energetically about gymnastics and another student spoke about swimming. Scott showed a concern for the earth with his presentation and Andrea showed a concern for the audience with her overview of the pros and cons of energy drinks.
But the Best-Speech-of-the-Day Award goes to Seth and his presentation on the Spartans. It
was a well researched presentation about a historical subject that focused on stuff we'd find interesting, like their child hood and training experiences. Seth had plenty of information and showed his interest by speaking with energy. Good job, Seth.
was a well researched presentation about a historical subject that focused on stuff we'd find interesting, like their child hood and training experiences. Seth had plenty of information and showed his interest by speaking with energy. Good job, Seth.(Spartan cup image is borrowed from http://mkatz.web.wesleyan.edu/Images2/cciv243.CIHAGPanels.html )
Wednesday November 3
Best-Speeches-of-the-Day Award for Wednesday is shared by Rheanna and Melissa for their speeches on SCFE and cannibalism, respectively. Rheanna researched the personal topic of Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis, a hip problem of adolescents. She went beyond telling us of her experience by offering appropriate research about the disease as well as very interesting visual aids. She also spoke with energetic and calm assurance. Melissa shared fascinating information about the pathological, emergency, and social reasons for cannibalism. Because of the great taboos around the activity, it's a fascinating topic. She was clear about her sources of information and her speech was very well organized and easy to follow.Among the other speakers of the day, Laura's speech on Tourette's Syndrome also stood out because she made an effort to link the topic to what we "knew" from film and television and she sounded well informed. I enjoyed another student's speech on bird hunting because the speaker wore camouflage and made great eye contact. (He hasn't given me permission to use his name.) Sarah's speech on The Beatles had a solid, chronological structure.
I'm definitely looking forward to the persuasive speeches from this class.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
T/Th Class 10/30 and 11/4
Like many of my students, I procrastinate all too often. (Especially on volunteer or un-assessed tasks.) Thus my notes about last week's class are late.
Informative Speeches - 10/30/2008
I can't name a Best Speech of the Day for this day because everyone did something well and no speech was perfect. I think the speech I personally enjoyed the most was Steve's presentation on the impact of microbrewery beer on Central Oregon. It was well organized and researched and had lots of local information. Steve also spoke with the energy and natural style that is common to speakers who pick topics on which they have a lot of interest.
Ryan offered good research in his speech on Cocaine and also spoke with energy. Megan also presented her information with a friendly style. Alma managed to get beyond her personal biases and present an object speech about the benefits and dangers of gambling. She also shared personal information with us that touched our hearts. Andrew faced the same challenge of possible bias in his speech about hybrid cars but managed to present pros and cons as well. Speaker 6 (who hasn't given permission to use a name) spoke with passion about a fun travel experience her family enjoyed. Jessica chose the fascinating topic of the Black Death and began and ended her speech with a nursery rhyme as her hook and clincher. This was a very artistic device. In his speech on the Chinese dragon, Rufio also had an artistic structure, motivating us in his introduction and conclusion by showing that China was the most populous nation (and the coming world leader) and suggesting that it would be helpful for us to know something about it's customs.
Informative Speeches - 11/4/2008
An historic election day that was totally ignored in our classroom!
Best Speech of the Day Honors are shared by Abby, MacKenzie, and Scott. All three gave speeches about subjects of interest to students in Central Oregon: piercing, caffeine and snowboarding, respectively. Abby's speech on piercing was well organized, interesting, and delivered with energy and a conversational style. Mackenzie wowed us with the number of sources she used and with her smile. Scott made the effort to dress up, bring his snowboard, and use his visual aids appropriate. Scott also taught us how to get rid of the automatic slide rotation on the latest version of PowerPoint. THANK YOU. I always appreciate students who teach me new aspects of technology.
Each of the other speeches also showed some particularyly appropriate quality. Rachael chose a topic that fascinates everyone - sex - and had lots of data to share. Alex had easy-to-see visuals of the army weaponry he discussed. Jason wore a shirt made out of hemp, the topic of his speech.
Informative Speeches - 10/30/2008
I can't name a Best Speech of the Day for this day because everyone did something well and no speech was perfect. I think the speech I personally enjoyed the most was Steve's presentation on the impact of microbrewery beer on Central Oregon. It was well organized and researched and had lots of local information. Steve also spoke with the energy and natural style that is common to speakers who pick topics on which they have a lot of interest.
Ryan offered good research in his speech on Cocaine and also spoke with energy. Megan also presented her information with a friendly style. Alma managed to get beyond her personal biases and present an object speech about the benefits and dangers of gambling. She also shared personal information with us that touched our hearts. Andrew faced the same challenge of possible bias in his speech about hybrid cars but managed to present pros and cons as well. Speaker 6 (who hasn't given permission to use a name) spoke with passion about a fun travel experience her family enjoyed. Jessica chose the fascinating topic of the Black Death and began and ended her speech with a nursery rhyme as her hook and clincher. This was a very artistic device. In his speech on the Chinese dragon, Rufio also had an artistic structure, motivating us in his introduction and conclusion by showing that China was the most populous nation (and the coming world leader) and suggesting that it would be helpful for us to know something about it's customs.
Informative Speeches - 11/4/2008
An historic election day that was totally ignored in our classroom!
Best Speech of the Day Honors are shared by Abby, MacKenzie, and Scott. All three gave speeches about subjects of interest to students in Central Oregon: piercing, caffeine and snowboarding, respectively. Abby's speech on piercing was well organized, interesting, and delivered with energy and a conversational style. Mackenzie wowed us with the number of sources she used and with her smile. Scott made the effort to dress up, bring his snowboard, and use his visual aids appropriate. Scott also taught us how to get rid of the automatic slide rotation on the latest version of PowerPoint. THANK YOU. I always appreciate students who teach me new aspects of technology.Each of the other speeches also showed some particularyly appropriate quality. Rachael chose a topic that fascinates everyone - sex - and had lots of data to share. Alex had easy-to-see visuals of the army weaponry he discussed. Jason wore a shirt made out of hemp, the topic of his speech.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Today's Speeches 10/29/08
I liked the way the impromptu speakers in my class today just got up and started talking right away. They didn't take the 30 seconds prep time. They had great energy. I especially enjoyed Brian's little speech about "If you don't like people, go to internet chatrooms."
Some good work was accomplished with the informative speeches. Tylor was the most relaxed and energetic with his presentation about the engineering of golf balls. Zach showed that he was an impassioned expert as he talked about the iron man event. He also adapted well to the experience of time being shorter than he expected. Veronica offered some very sad stories in her speech on sweat shops yet managed to avoid trying to persuade us to do anything about them. Jenna was the best in referencing her researched sources.
Some good work was accomplished with the informative speeches. Tylor was the most relaxed and energetic with his presentation about the engineering of golf balls. Zach showed that he was an impassioned expert as he talked about the iron man event. He also adapted well to the experience of time being shorter than he expected. Veronica offered some very sad stories in her speech on sweat shops yet managed to avoid trying to persuade us to do anything about them. Jenna was the best in referencing her researched sources.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Best Work in Speech on 10/28/2008
I got permission from some members of my Tuesday/Thursday class to use their real names when I talk about what people did especially well.
First of all, Best-Speech-Of-The-Day Award goes to Acacia for her speech about two Japanese Festivals. She chose to focus on festivals that would interest a young college audience, she refered clearly to her sources and also had references for her borrowed PowerPoint visuals, and her speech was appropriately organized. She also smiled, made eye contact, and sounded interested and enthusiastic about her topic. Very nice work.
I also appreciated Leandra's ability to link dance and sports in a way that could give non-dancers a better understanding of the art. Melany's interesting story of the Winchester Mystery House and its ghosts was well adapted to the Halloween season and Calvin's costume, with his Nosler hat and Cabela's shirt, was very appropriate for a speech on re-loading.
The impromptus also went well with props going to Ryan for his archaic oratory and perfect comic timing and to Megan for her calm ability to adapt to being unexpectedly called on as well as an excellent conclusion.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Impromptu Speaking
Ah. It's always interesting to snap a picture of a class personality by responding to the impromptu topic they give me. I enjoy demonstrating impromptu speaking because I used to compete in it in high school.
How it works -- Here are the directions for the assignment
Impromptu Speaking
Time: 1-2 minutes
This is a speech given with little preparation: 30 seconds
No rubrics for this one!
To receive a “pass,” your impromptu must
• be at least one minute long
• have an introduction, body and conclusion
• no pauses over 4 seconds • NO BABBLING.
I have students make up topics that go into an envelope. Then I have those who want to do so make up a "Huck Challenge Topic" for me. I appoint an assistant who collects these topics then I leave the room. The assistant is supposed to read the topics aloud to the class and the class chooses. I have never been defeated -- although at times I've done what I permit students to do for this assignment: "Lie like a rug."
This quarter, my Monday/Wednesday class chose "The History of Hair Dye." A nice, friendly topic. On the other hand, my Tuesday/Thursday class, those characters, picked "Explain the Impact of Anal Sex on the Youth of Today." Wow. That caused me a moment's pause. I always worry that if my impromptu speaking assignment has a sexual quality a student will complain to the authorities even if they are the ones who invited my speaking about the topic. But I decided to go for it and gave a serious presentation. I am, after all, a sex educator as well as a communication professional! I used the speech as an opportunity to plug my spring class, "Communicating Love."
How it works -- Here are the directions for the assignment
Impromptu Speaking
Time: 1-2 minutes
This is a speech given with little preparation: 30 seconds
No rubrics for this one!
To receive a “pass,” your impromptu must
• be at least one minute long
• have an introduction, body and conclusion
• no pauses over 4 seconds • NO BABBLING.
I have students make up topics that go into an envelope. Then I have those who want to do so make up a "Huck Challenge Topic" for me. I appoint an assistant who collects these topics then I leave the room. The assistant is supposed to read the topics aloud to the class and the class chooses. I have never been defeated -- although at times I've done what I permit students to do for this assignment: "Lie like a rug."
This quarter, my Monday/Wednesday class chose "The History of Hair Dye." A nice, friendly topic. On the other hand, my Tuesday/Thursday class, those characters, picked "Explain the Impact of Anal Sex on the Youth of Today." Wow. That caused me a moment's pause. I always worry that if my impromptu speaking assignment has a sexual quality a student will complain to the authorities even if they are the ones who invited my speaking about the topic. But I decided to go for it and gave a serious presentation. I am, after all, a sex educator as well as a communication professional! I used the speech as an opportunity to plug my spring class, "Communicating Love."
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Getting good grades
When I was in school it was often important for me to get good grades. I remember that Dad gave me a dollar for each quarter's A when I was in grade school. But I was really a B+/A- student. Through high school and my undergraduate years I never worked hard enough to get all As unless I wanted to impress the teacher of the class. In math and science I struggled just to get Cs. Actually, due to a brief window of opportunity regarding math I was able to avoid math entirely in college.
All this is preface to an interesting experience I've had this year. I have students in my speech classes who are choosing not to do the work even though they remain in class. Now this is something I don't understand. Why would someone just not do an assignment? Especially when all the directions are given and all one needs to do is follow the directions? I can only assume that these students are content to get low scores. I try my best to make sure everything is absolutely clear in class and every direction is written down. I ask for questions. I respond within two to 20 hours to every email.
Perhaps they are having an experience similar to mine after I was busted at age 19. As I was waiting for my case to come up before a judge in Alameda county in 1972, I entered a community college that we called UCLA -- University of Campbell at Latimer Avenue or Waste Valley. I decided that semester that I would reform myself and turn away from bad behavior and commit to something I could make money with -- business classes. So I took shorthand, accounting, business methods, and, for fun, music. I wound up dropping each of the classes and eventually just flunking music because I really had no interest in any of the courses.
Maybe my speech students are the same. All they want is a class and because they don't care about the material they aren't doing the work. I can respect that. Why do work if you don't care? And so far none of them have complained about their low grades. So, really, I guess it's not a problem. Their choices WOULD be a problem if they gave a few balls of deer excrement what their grade was going to be.
All this is preface to an interesting experience I've had this year. I have students in my speech classes who are choosing not to do the work even though they remain in class. Now this is something I don't understand. Why would someone just not do an assignment? Especially when all the directions are given and all one needs to do is follow the directions? I can only assume that these students are content to get low scores. I try my best to make sure everything is absolutely clear in class and every direction is written down. I ask for questions. I respond within two to 20 hours to every email.
Perhaps they are having an experience similar to mine after I was busted at age 19. As I was waiting for my case to come up before a judge in Alameda county in 1972, I entered a community college that we called UCLA -- University of Campbell at Latimer Avenue or Waste Valley. I decided that semester that I would reform myself and turn away from bad behavior and commit to something I could make money with -- business classes. So I took shorthand, accounting, business methods, and, for fun, music. I wound up dropping each of the classes and eventually just flunking music because I really had no interest in any of the courses.
Maybe my speech students are the same. All they want is a class and because they don't care about the material they aren't doing the work. I can respect that. Why do work if you don't care? And so far none of them have complained about their low grades. So, really, I guess it's not a problem. Their choices WOULD be a problem if they gave a few balls of deer excrement what their grade was going to be.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Tuesday Thursday Mistakes
I seem to make more mistakes in my T Th class this quarter than in my MW. The first week I managed to have a streak of white face cream on my jaw line that one student mentioned at the end of class. I also have enjoyed misspellings on the white-board and had trouble with the overhead projector just before a lecture on visual aids. I've told them that they distract me. The tone of the group is lively (which is much better than overly quiet). They chit chat a lot during breaks between speeches. Every once in a while when my back is turned they laugh and I feel like I must have a "kick me" sign. They aren't mean spirited just active.
I do enjoy them. Most of them went to the trouble of constructing their visual aids for SA#2. There was one young man who had a posterboard with brass tone tacks through each of the letters of the label and his three pie charts. It made for an attractive display.
I want to start writing about specific students but don't want to use real names. I'm going to figure out the easiest way to work that before informative speeches start.
I do enjoy them. Most of them went to the trouble of constructing their visual aids for SA#2. There was one young man who had a posterboard with brass tone tacks through each of the letters of the label and his three pie charts. It made for an attractive display.
I want to start writing about specific students but don't want to use real names. I'm going to figure out the easiest way to work that before informative speeches start.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Reasons for Class Absence
This has never happened to me before! A young woman just called to explain that her boyfriend is in my morning class and that she had made a bad mistake with the alarm clock and he was late this morning because she'd set it for 7 p.m. rather than 7 a.m. What a nice girlfriend! Caring and considerate of her man.
I explained our class attendance policy (he needs to explain to the class why he didn't attend and the class votes) and said he'd make up the missed speaking activity on Monday.
I explained our class attendance policy (he needs to explain to the class why he didn't attend and the class votes) and said he'd make up the missed speaking activity on Monday.
Readers and Preparation
So, two students have actually admitted to reading some of my blog! One, a member of my weekend class, told me on Sunday that I hadn't written about them yet so I wrote something that a member of my MW class also read. My MW student said, "You love your weekend class" and then told me that he'd been bored so he found and read my blog.
I talked about my weekend class this morning. For Speaking Assignment #2, the "main point, research, visual aid" assignment, I noticed an interesting difference between the MW class and the weekend bootcamp. A majority of the MW class used the whiteboard and didn't prepare a visual aid on paper or the computer while only one of my weekend students had relied on the whiteboard. So I asked the students this morning why it was when they had so much more time they didn't take that time to make visual aids.
One young man said that it was because he was counting on the spontaneity of the moment to be able to write a class response to the question on the board. I believed him because he actually used the live audience well. A young woman said that if she was actually giving a full speech she would have gone to the trouble but wanted the experience of the spontaneous use of the whiteboard. Another student admitted that she had a paper due in another class that she'd given her time to and one admitted that having so much time actually cut down on preparation because it became easy to procrastinate. One student also noted that the weekend class had nothing else to do that weekend but take my class so they could focus. Now, that may or may not have been true.
I like this assignment because it's interesting to me to hear their stories about cheating.
I talked about my weekend class this morning. For Speaking Assignment #2, the "main point, research, visual aid" assignment, I noticed an interesting difference between the MW class and the weekend bootcamp. A majority of the MW class used the whiteboard and didn't prepare a visual aid on paper or the computer while only one of my weekend students had relied on the whiteboard. So I asked the students this morning why it was when they had so much more time they didn't take that time to make visual aids.
One young man said that it was because he was counting on the spontaneity of the moment to be able to write a class response to the question on the board. I believed him because he actually used the live audience well. A young woman said that if she was actually giving a full speech she would have gone to the trouble but wanted the experience of the spontaneous use of the whiteboard. Another student admitted that she had a paper due in another class that she'd given her time to and one admitted that having so much time actually cut down on preparation because it became easy to procrastinate. One student also noted that the weekend class had nothing else to do that weekend but take my class so they could focus. Now, that may or may not have been true.
I like this assignment because it's interesting to me to hear their stories about cheating.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Public Speaking Bootcamp
It's lunch on Sunday of the first weekend of my public speaking bootcamp. This is a hard core, hard working class. All of the course is taught on two weekends and students have to be highly self-motivated to survive. Actually, the main concepts of the course are taught on the first weekend and the students have three weeks to write three speeches which they will give on the three days of the second weekend. The course is emotionally and physically exhausting but it's an excellent way of learning the basic skills of public speaking. Students tend to bond closely and the intensity of the class helps write what they are supposed to be learning into their neurons.
Yesterday they did their introductions and their impromptus. One of the most interesting comments about speech anxiety was made by a student who actually had the best delivery. She said that she didn't remember what she said. But she looked so calm -- had good eye contact, a strong natural vocal style, and natural gestures. While the rest of the class had a few problems with their delivery, overall I was very happy with the performances. Almost every person got the concept of a clear thesis statement (core outcome of the first assignment) and they all passed the impromptu. They are an energetic bunch. It's students like these who make this course manageable for me. They give back a lot and that keeps me upright. I was dreading this weekend but it's turned out to be a lot of fun.
Yesterday they did their introductions and their impromptus. One of the most interesting comments about speech anxiety was made by a student who actually had the best delivery. She said that she didn't remember what she said. But she looked so calm -- had good eye contact, a strong natural vocal style, and natural gestures. While the rest of the class had a few problems with their delivery, overall I was very happy with the performances. Almost every person got the concept of a clear thesis statement (core outcome of the first assignment) and they all passed the impromptu. They are an energetic bunch. It's students like these who make this course manageable for me. They give back a lot and that keeps me upright. I was dreading this weekend but it's turned out to be a lot of fun.
Friday, October 3, 2008
FACT CHECKING
Well, turned out they BOTH lied last night. See Calvin Woodward of Associated Press here
The home of fact-checking is here at FactCheck.org
For other interesting reading about the debate, there's wonderful live blog by Rick Klein of ABC. I love his comment: "9:23 pm CT: Maverick, maverick. Maverick. Maverick maverick maverick."
Well, there's so much out there for political junkies. For a quick overview go to USNews and World Report.
As for me, if I were still a graduate student in speech communication (and I gave a rodent's derriere) I'd do a close analysis myself but frankly, I got bored after about 45 minutes with the stump speaking and standardized responses.
The home of fact-checking is here at FactCheck.org
For other interesting reading about the debate, there's wonderful live blog by Rick Klein of ABC. I love his comment: "9:23 pm CT: Maverick, maverick. Maverick. Maverick maverick maverick."
Well, there's so much out there for political junkies. For a quick overview go to USNews and World Report.
As for me, if I were still a graduate student in speech communication (and I gave a rodent's derriere) I'd do a close analysis myself but frankly, I got bored after about 45 minutes with the stump speaking and standardized responses.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Watching the VP Debate
Gwen Ifill of Washington Week is a terrific moderator -- calm, intelligent, and not pompous like some.
Watching the debate --
I am already being driven CRAZY! First question goes utterly unanswered by Joe Biden who runs off into an attack on Bush and a standard issue blah blah blah about Obama. Then Sarah natters on about John McCain. Neither answer the moderator's question about "Was this the best or worst of Washington."
So far, they both sound like people prepped to spout their stump drivel.
Yes...the moderator noticed and SAID that neither of them answered the question "What would you do as vice president."
Ah. The republican is calling for "strict oversight" of Wall Street. Hmmmm.
But they do both look good in their black suits.
They are both using the standard advertising technique of repeating the name of the front of the ticket...though for some reason Biden is repeating John McCain's name a lot.
Ah. Biden smiles at Sarah's claim about voting for biggest tax bump. Big Joe smile. Then he seems to remember that he's not supposed to smile.
The point about McCain supporting deregulation that is made by Joe is a good one.
Moderator says, "Why is this not class warfare?" taxing over $250 thousand. Joe says it's fairness. The wealthy should pay more.
The naming of things. I do like Joe Biden's discussion of the label given to taxing corporations more: he says fairness, Sarah says "redistribution of wealth."
Biden cheap shot -- "Ultimate bridge to nowhere" put an annoying twist on a thoughtful attack on McCain's $5000 for healthcare idea.
What did Sarah do with the oil companies? This is something I'd want to more about. Ah...Joe says the she supported a windfall profits tax on the oil companies...so he's saying he hopes she can get McCain to support her way of doing things.
OK....once again, she's not responding to the question about McCain's position on banking...now she's going off into energy. She's arguing energy independence.
Sarah keeps has reversed causal relationships twice. Main street and wall street switch and a man/climate switch. It's just a speaking thing but still...a bit unusual for a public speaker her age and her level.
Joe loves the data about McCain voting 20 times against funding alternative forms of energy.
She says she is tolerant. Hmmm. Palin is saying she agrees that there should be no civil rights distinction for gay couples. Though she hedges a bit. And neither Biden nor Palin believes in gay marriage.
"Your plan was a white flag of surrender." Big attack by Palin. She emphasizes that we must win. Victory within sight. Now Biden is saying that he gave the warning. John McCain "has been dead wrong on the fundamental issues."
Palin sounding much more intelligent than expected after her bad Katie Couric interview. Hmmm. Palin calls for a two-state system. Biden doesn't support a two-state issue.
Sarah is being very good about showing respect to Joe.
They are wacking each other pretty well. I think Joe is winning in the use of data and facts and Sarah is winning in the presentation of self as ordinary American tough in the face of Washington chicanery and a nasty world..
Watching the debate --
I am already being driven CRAZY! First question goes utterly unanswered by Joe Biden who runs off into an attack on Bush and a standard issue blah blah blah about Obama. Then Sarah natters on about John McCain. Neither answer the moderator's question about "Was this the best or worst of Washington."
So far, they both sound like people prepped to spout their stump drivel.
Yes...the moderator noticed and SAID that neither of them answered the question "What would you do as vice president."
Ah. The republican is calling for "strict oversight" of Wall Street. Hmmmm.
But they do both look good in their black suits.
They are both using the standard advertising technique of repeating the name of the front of the ticket...though for some reason Biden is repeating John McCain's name a lot.
Ah. Biden smiles at Sarah's claim about voting for biggest tax bump. Big Joe smile. Then he seems to remember that he's not supposed to smile.
The point about McCain supporting deregulation that is made by Joe is a good one.
Moderator says, "Why is this not class warfare?" taxing over $250 thousand. Joe says it's fairness. The wealthy should pay more.
The naming of things. I do like Joe Biden's discussion of the label given to taxing corporations more: he says fairness, Sarah says "redistribution of wealth."
Biden cheap shot -- "Ultimate bridge to nowhere" put an annoying twist on a thoughtful attack on McCain's $5000 for healthcare idea.
What did Sarah do with the oil companies? This is something I'd want to more about. Ah...Joe says the she supported a windfall profits tax on the oil companies...so he's saying he hopes she can get McCain to support her way of doing things.
OK....once again, she's not responding to the question about McCain's position on banking...now she's going off into energy. She's arguing energy independence.
Sarah keeps has reversed causal relationships twice. Main street and wall street switch and a man/climate switch. It's just a speaking thing but still...a bit unusual for a public speaker her age and her level.
Joe loves the data about McCain voting 20 times against funding alternative forms of energy.
She says she is tolerant. Hmmm. Palin is saying she agrees that there should be no civil rights distinction for gay couples. Though she hedges a bit. And neither Biden nor Palin believes in gay marriage.
"Your plan was a white flag of surrender." Big attack by Palin. She emphasizes that we must win. Victory within sight. Now Biden is saying that he gave the warning. John McCain "has been dead wrong on the fundamental issues."
Palin sounding much more intelligent than expected after her bad Katie Couric interview. Hmmm. Palin calls for a two-state system. Biden doesn't support a two-state issue.
Sarah is being very good about showing respect to Joe.
They are wacking each other pretty well. I think Joe is winning in the use of data and facts and Sarah is winning in the presentation of self as ordinary American tough in the face of Washington chicanery and a nasty world..
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Introduction Speeches
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.
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.
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."
Saturday, June 7, 2008
My T Th class is all over but the make-up speeches at the final exam. This has been a particularly lively class. Most of them have done very well with the delivery part of the speeches. Some have also been spectacular at marshaling their supporting material. There are a few who have chosen to do little of the homework and pretty much just bs their way through the speech situation. But only two or three. Most folks have done their best and some have done very well. Next year I think I'll get permission from folks to use their names so I can talk about the best speakers here in my blog.
As for the interpersonal class, the presentations have been good, a couple of them very good. I got the final test finished yesterday. I hope people study for it. Nothing on it should be a surprise.
The essays for the conflict management class came in this week. Some folks never opened the text for that class. Much as I love Crucial Confrontations, I think I need to go back to using a Crisp publication -- something that we can actually work on in class. It looked like at least half the writers didn't quote from the text (an automatic C). And at least one person bombed out by talking about a political conflict instead of an interpersonal one. Sigh. I'm always learning about stuff I need to make more explicit.
As for the interpersonal class, the presentations have been good, a couple of them very good. I got the final test finished yesterday. I hope people study for it. Nothing on it should be a surprise.
The essays for the conflict management class came in this week. Some folks never opened the text for that class. Much as I love Crucial Confrontations, I think I need to go back to using a Crisp publication -- something that we can actually work on in class. It looked like at least half the writers didn't quote from the text (an automatic C). And at least one person bombed out by talking about a political conflict instead of an interpersonal one. Sigh. I'm always learning about stuff I need to make more explicit.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Attendance
I know I tell everyone that I'm over being worried about whether or not students attend but sometimes it does impact my self esteem when only half my interpersonal communication class shows up on any one evening. Is it worse than it used to be? Us old profs always think so but maybe not. And spring time, the only ring a ding time, who wants to be in a classroom without (or with) windows?
Ah, but the public speaking class -- they were well before time (it was speech sign up day). I've enjoyed that class. Some interesting and enthusiastic characters. I also had a student in that class who cheated on an outline -- turned in a sample outline from a school in Kentucky. Easy enough to track down. What tipped me off? The language use and the scrawl of name at the top of a carefully typed page. Mostly, though, the use of the name John Wayne. How many of my students know who the heck John Wayne was, pilgrim?
Ah, but the public speaking class -- they were well before time (it was speech sign up day). I've enjoyed that class. Some interesting and enthusiastic characters. I also had a student in that class who cheated on an outline -- turned in a sample outline from a school in Kentucky. Easy enough to track down. What tipped me off? The language use and the scrawl of name at the top of a carefully typed page. Mostly, though, the use of the name John Wayne. How many of my students know who the heck John Wayne was, pilgrim?
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Self Disclosure in Spring
In my interpersonal class this week we talked about nonverbal and verbal communication. On Thursday I began with a self diclosure (perhaps inappropriate) then went on to talk about self disclosure -- risks and benefits. I told them about how just that day I'd been puttering around in my office and sent some materials to print in the admin assistant's office next door. When I opened the door through there was one of our drawing faculty standing with a great looking guy -- wavy red hair, strong handsome face, slender form, super piratical smile. And I was completely caught offguard. So when she introduced me I said, "You have great hair!" DUMB! Then, I compounded my unfortunate unprofessional communication error by saying, "Wow. If I'd said that to one of these guys (by then our photo-prof was in the office) I could have been accused of harrasment." Time to return to my office.
So, I told that story to my class, explaining that I sometimes get very stupid around attractive people. Especially in spring. Twitterpated is what I get. (Now there's a good word.)
Inappropriate self disclosure? Perhaps. Certainly something I've been known to suffer from in the past. But at least one student said, "I think that's cute."
Oh well. Fifty four years old and still sometimes I ain't got the sense God gave a goose.
So, I told that story to my class, explaining that I sometimes get very stupid around attractive people. Especially in spring. Twitterpated is what I get. (Now there's a good word.)
Inappropriate self disclosure? Perhaps. Certainly something I've been known to suffer from in the past. But at least one student said, "I think that's cute."
Oh well. Fifty four years old and still sometimes I ain't got the sense God gave a goose.
Friday, May 9, 2008
WAKE UP FRITALIANS! Part 2 What is Love (of our jobs)?
If you haven't seen the Diet Pepsi Max commercial, see it on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJEVxfWpm7c
I am certainly not the only person who fell in love with the Diet Pepsi Max commercial first aired during the Superbowl. On youtube there are thousands of posts about the ad, most articulating, briefly, the work's LOL stimulating qualities. Both the faculty and students of the University of Southern Carolina's School of Journalism & Mass Communication scored this as the best of the superbowl ads (see http://www.jour.sc.edu/news/isite/08superbowl/index.html ). At a computer science blog site, Graphics@Illinois from the University at Urbana-Champaign, Jason Hughes wrote
"The best of the night so far. It starts off innocently enough with Troy Aikmen commenting on the action in the first quarter when Joe nods off and bangs his head on his mic. Queue music ("What is Love?") and we then get a montage of people across all industries nodding off at their jobs, at dinner, at awards shows, on game shows. I'm pretty sure that's Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J and Macy Gray nodding off while they were up for "Song of the Year." This keeps up until Diet Pepsi Max comes along on a mail cart and everyone starts doing "The Roxbury," or the head bopping made famous by Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell in the recurring SNL skits. The bit ends with Troy staring at Joe as Joe bops along. But the best part is after the blurbs about Diet Pepsi Max and the slogans, we get a quick shot of Chris Kattan shopping, yelling "Stop it!" to two girls doing the head bop." https://agora.cs.uiuc.edu/display/graphics/SuperBowl+XLII+Recap
So, now you know what I'm talking about. I don't need to explain to you why I love the video. But I will tell you my reading of the people "across all industries" that aren't REALLY across all industries. There IS a WWII military or Star Trek "diversity in the cockpit" theme here, but the jobs chosen, while different, all help to sell the product through humor but also through hinting at the dangers involved in falling asleep on the job. There are MANY jobs that aren't shown, of course. What we do see is American success (entertainment) and American boredom (the white collar workplace, the blue collar workplace) and we learn that all American workers, from foreign transplant (sushi chef) to the core of American masculinity (cowboys, mechanics) get bored at work and need some help to enjoy what they do.
Now, in any setting in which we have a "diverse" cluster, we can understand the meaning of each piece by comparing it to both what the audience member might know of the thing or action involved (in this case, the workplace) and also to the other pieces that make up the totality of the work.
The full length commercial begins with two Superbowl XXVII announcers, one using the word comfortable as the other starts to nod off, banging his head on the microphone. Both men are white, both wearing dark suits, one blue, one gray. Behind them is the tv studio's blue curtains and some kind of scaffolding holding the sign. So we begin with white, middle age, middle class, American sports business -- High, masculine, ruling class.
Then, when the music starts, "What is love? baby don't hurt me" we are introduced to the other players in our cinema of diversity.
First, we jump cut to a gentleman at a lunch-counter, nodding his balding head into his soup. It's midday (see the sunny street outside). He's on lunchbreak. He's wearing a brown suit (not as formal as blue or gray). He's got a gigantic Adam's apple and his wrinkled suit isn't fitting him all that well. He is a parody businessman! He is the worst of the ordinary middle-class work world. He might be us, or might be the others we work with. He is nodding into his soup because his job is not interesting to him, because he works to hard, because he may be burning his candle at both ends. Check out those Elvis sideburns! And, OMG, is he at a mall in California? Check out the oak tree sprouting tall behind the patio umbrellas outside the windows.
Then we jump to another office scene, this time a hallway where a young white woman in white blouse and black skirt, a young white man in white shirt and black slacks, are standing and nodding in a hallway. The camera is behind another person who is walking down the hallway. at the level of a person sitting down, this time suggesting that we are at work in the same space as, possibly, a bored twenty-something observing our fellow workers. Seated on a horizontal file cabinet is a woman in a suit with big hair. She may be African American (very tan legs in nylons) but hard to say at this time.
Jump to two men who park cars for a hotel or restaurant. They are in uniform. One is middle aged and Asian or Latino (hard to say with the head's nodding). Unlike the middle aged white guys, he is working at a menial job instead of an office job. The other is a younger, bearded white guy. He isn't clean-cut like the office workers. Maybe he's an artist or student who is just doing this work until he can make a go of it in another world. It's clear he exists in world different than the office world. We look at both across the top of a car (as though we are USING their services, not inhabiting their world).
Jump to real life cowboys, two middle-aged white guys on their horses within a herd of cattle. One is kind of chunky. Both wear beige jackets, plaid shirts, jeans, boots. One has a cowboy hat, the other a ball cap. This is about cowboying as a chore, not as the fantasy world of the rodeo. They AND their horses seem very tired. They are NOT looking at the view of amazing high mountain thrusting out of the plains behind them. (Sierras?) This shot tells us that even the John Wayne world of the cowpuncher is permeated by boredom.
If the cowboy, that quintessential American character, can be bored at work, then it's not so strange that the Pop star, another American icon, can also nod off. Jump to our cluster of singers, seen by the camera as though on the TV screen at the Grammies. They are all African American, because this is how American's like to see our Black Folk -- as pop stars. Not as cowboys, certainly. Success as a singer or dancer has been a way for individual African Americans to defy (and defy the existence of) American racism since Bojangles Bill Robinson held hands with Miss Shirley Temple as they danced down the stairs of a Hollywood set over sixty years ago.
Now we return to brown suit as his head flops back and we see his comb-over. Wow. Here is a parody white guy for sure. Deeply uncool.
Jump to two white ranch workers nodding in the middle of a sheering, the half-trimmed sheep, it's sheered butt bright compared to it's dirty thick wool, standing to the right of them. They are both in dirty jeans and shirts. With a background in American history, a viewer knows that cattle and sheepmen were at often at odds. So this image works with the cowboy image to cement that "unity in diversity" theme. And what is unifying these old enemies is that both are now, in the 21st Century, bored of their jobs. This image is funny in part because these men are handling sharp tools and something could go wrong.
Jump other people who handle sharp tools -- three male(?) Japanese(?) sushi chefs (if I recognize their attire, I must myself have gone to such a restaurant -- meaning that I am middle class or have seen this image on TV). The question mark means that the image goes by so quickly that only the front chef is obviously male and Asian. They are in white uniforms with hats. The cleanliness of this image contrasts with the filth of the sheep image.
Jump to nerds! Yes, these people LOOK like they are at a Star Trek convention, though slowing the commercial down makes it clear that these are parody trekkers. In front, a guy at a check in desk wears a Star officer uniform of some kind. The three facing us wear "V"s of red. One is a tall, glasses-wearing red-headed young woman -- pretty but can't get a "regular" date because she is shy. Beside her is a fat white boy who probably spends his days on his computer in his mom's house. Beside him is short haired African-American, proving that blacks are not only the traditional pop star but also geeks. This is a positive move toward more contemporary racial imagery. And, to bring our diverse images into the Future, to the far right of the frame is a model of a "Gray," one of the traditional types of extra-terrestrials. They are in a meeting room with a few other chatting people, also in costumes. On the wall behind is a sign reading something like "Galactic ...." The room looks like a small hotel conference room. Trekkies, nerds, are people whose lived are absolutely wrapped up in their love of fictional worlds. These are people so bored or fearful of real life that they live vicariously in a world of adventure and romance.
Jump to rows of bobble heads seen in close-up. SYMBOL! We, American workers, are bobble head dolls, nodding our agreement, nodding our boredom with our work lives. Cut to the guy at the bobble-head plant nodding over the passing line of dolls.
Jump to a student IQ quiz program and an African American girl in what could be a parochial school outfit is nodding as the tall white boy across from her racks up 9200 points. The announcer is another white guy in a suit. The image behind them in the TV studio is a night city skyline.
Jump back to brown suit. (He's our recurring gag of recurring gags).
Jump to mid-shot of muscular stocky thirty-something guy in an orange shirt with rolled sleeves nodding off in an outdoor area. Cut to long shot as child on swing flies back and knocks this guy on his butt. Here is Dad being bored and letting himself get hurt. The father who experiences taking care of the kid as a job. (Would a woman be as funny in this image?)
Jump back to close-up of black pop star.
Jump to heavy-set, white, nodding truck driver. (He could kill someone if he goes to sleep at the wheel.)
Cut to midshot of skinny, white, cap on backwards mechanic with a full beard and long hair, falling asleep at the switch as (cut to long shot) car rises to be crushed against a pole on the ceiling. This image expands on the hint of danger in the truck-driver shot. We see a car destroyed (as we could imagine with the truck) but with no-one actually hurt. Nevertheless, we are asked to notice, subconsciously, the serious danger of our boredom (as was hinted at with the images that contained the knowledge of knives).
Jump to bobble head factory. Jump to two sushi chefs (where there is a shoulder between us and the chefs). Jump to black pop star. Jump to parking valets. Cut to brown suit and his face goes right into the soup and we see the big bald spot under the comb-over.
Jump to office corridor where a young, short woman in a dark and light argyle vest pushes a cart of bottles between our nodding office workers. We go from the hallway shot to a shot looking up from the cart to the heads of the two women, blond and black as they bounce down. Shot of the Diet Pepsi Max bottles on the cart. Group closeup of three workers, two white and one black (the young man is now, suddenly, in a continuity error, on the right side of the cart) as they tilt back the bottles at the same time.
At this point the mixed, off-beat nodding turns, through the miracle of caffeine, into DANCE MOVES! and the Night at the Roxbury parody commences...a parody of a parody. Cut to a shot of the entire office and our three Pepsi drinkers are bouncing, not nodding, heads flipping sideways in time to the dance anthem.
Cut to black pop star, Pepsi in hand, bouncing his head and pointing at us! Hey, he wakes up and now he LIKES us! He KNOWS us! Smiling! And Mr. Brown suit with the moustach is smiling at us too, drinking Pepsi with his soup! His eyes are open. As are the eyes of the nerds, now smiling and happy as they bounce. Cut to another black pop star, his head moving sideways in an action recognizable as African American in form. Cut to the three people in the TV IQ quiz, all head bouncing in unison. Then we return to where we began, with the Superbowl announcer bouncing his head (badly) and his colleague making eye contact with the camera as though to say, "What's with this guy?"
Cut to our sales line, "Wake Up People!" in read and blue sans serif print, WAKE UP in red and PEOPLE in blue, the letters outlined in white. Red, white, and Blue. In voice-over the announcer tells us that the drink has ginseng and caffeine and zero calories.
The "cute" conclusion has two young women in modified dress-up outfits (denim but with jewelry, one wearing a low-cut tank top) at a clothes cleaners, with glistening plastic in the background, bouncing their big hair (an eighties theme) as Chris Kattan, original star of Night at the Roxbury, walks between them and yells, "Stop It" His character is supposed to be thinking that they are making fun of him (what self absorption) when actually we know that everyone is dancing because Diet Pepsi Max carries its dance anthem with it.
As an aside: I bought two versions of Haddaway's What Is Love from ITunes in March and let me tell you, it's not a good idea to sing along with your IPod and bounce your head while walking across campus, not if you want people to respect you as a senior professor.
Gotta get to work now...so I'm gonna plug in my tunes.
I am certainly not the only person who fell in love with the Diet Pepsi Max commercial first aired during the Superbowl. On youtube there are thousands of posts about the ad, most articulating, briefly, the work's LOL stimulating qualities. Both the faculty and students of the University of Southern Carolina's School of Journalism & Mass Communication scored this as the best of the superbowl ads (see http://www.jour.sc.edu/news/isite/08superbowl/index.html ). At a computer science blog site, Graphics@Illinois from the University at Urbana-Champaign, Jason Hughes wrote
"The best of the night so far. It starts off innocently enough with Troy Aikmen commenting on the action in the first quarter when Joe nods off and bangs his head on his mic. Queue music ("What is Love?") and we then get a montage of people across all industries nodding off at their jobs, at dinner, at awards shows, on game shows. I'm pretty sure that's Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J and Macy Gray nodding off while they were up for "Song of the Year." This keeps up until Diet Pepsi Max comes along on a mail cart and everyone starts doing "The Roxbury," or the head bopping made famous by Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell in the recurring SNL skits. The bit ends with Troy staring at Joe as Joe bops along. But the best part is after the blurbs about Diet Pepsi Max and the slogans, we get a quick shot of Chris Kattan shopping, yelling "Stop it!" to two girls doing the head bop." https://agora.cs.uiuc.edu/display/graphics/SuperBowl+XLII+Recap
So, now you know what I'm talking about. I don't need to explain to you why I love the video. But I will tell you my reading of the people "across all industries" that aren't REALLY across all industries. There IS a WWII military or Star Trek "diversity in the cockpit" theme here, but the jobs chosen, while different, all help to sell the product through humor but also through hinting at the dangers involved in falling asleep on the job. There are MANY jobs that aren't shown, of course. What we do see is American success (entertainment) and American boredom (the white collar workplace, the blue collar workplace) and we learn that all American workers, from foreign transplant (sushi chef) to the core of American masculinity (cowboys, mechanics) get bored at work and need some help to enjoy what they do.
Now, in any setting in which we have a "diverse" cluster, we can understand the meaning of each piece by comparing it to both what the audience member might know of the thing or action involved (in this case, the workplace) and also to the other pieces that make up the totality of the work.
The full length commercial begins with two Superbowl XXVII announcers, one using the word comfortable as the other starts to nod off, banging his head on the microphone. Both men are white, both wearing dark suits, one blue, one gray. Behind them is the tv studio's blue curtains and some kind of scaffolding holding the sign. So we begin with white, middle age, middle class, American sports business -- High, masculine, ruling class.
Then, when the music starts, "What is love? baby don't hurt me" we are introduced to the other players in our cinema of diversity.
First, we jump cut to a gentleman at a lunch-counter, nodding his balding head into his soup. It's midday (see the sunny street outside). He's on lunchbreak. He's wearing a brown suit (not as formal as blue or gray). He's got a gigantic Adam's apple and his wrinkled suit isn't fitting him all that well. He is a parody businessman! He is the worst of the ordinary middle-class work world. He might be us, or might be the others we work with. He is nodding into his soup because his job is not interesting to him, because he works to hard, because he may be burning his candle at both ends. Check out those Elvis sideburns! And, OMG, is he at a mall in California? Check out the oak tree sprouting tall behind the patio umbrellas outside the windows.
Then we jump to another office scene, this time a hallway where a young white woman in white blouse and black skirt, a young white man in white shirt and black slacks, are standing and nodding in a hallway. The camera is behind another person who is walking down the hallway. at the level of a person sitting down, this time suggesting that we are at work in the same space as, possibly, a bored twenty-something observing our fellow workers. Seated on a horizontal file cabinet is a woman in a suit with big hair. She may be African American (very tan legs in nylons) but hard to say at this time.
Jump to two men who park cars for a hotel or restaurant. They are in uniform. One is middle aged and Asian or Latino (hard to say with the head's nodding). Unlike the middle aged white guys, he is working at a menial job instead of an office job. The other is a younger, bearded white guy. He isn't clean-cut like the office workers. Maybe he's an artist or student who is just doing this work until he can make a go of it in another world. It's clear he exists in world different than the office world. We look at both across the top of a car (as though we are USING their services, not inhabiting their world).
Jump to real life cowboys, two middle-aged white guys on their horses within a herd of cattle. One is kind of chunky. Both wear beige jackets, plaid shirts, jeans, boots. One has a cowboy hat, the other a ball cap. This is about cowboying as a chore, not as the fantasy world of the rodeo. They AND their horses seem very tired. They are NOT looking at the view of amazing high mountain thrusting out of the plains behind them. (Sierras?) This shot tells us that even the John Wayne world of the cowpuncher is permeated by boredom.
If the cowboy, that quintessential American character, can be bored at work, then it's not so strange that the Pop star, another American icon, can also nod off. Jump to our cluster of singers, seen by the camera as though on the TV screen at the Grammies. They are all African American, because this is how American's like to see our Black Folk -- as pop stars. Not as cowboys, certainly. Success as a singer or dancer has been a way for individual African Americans to defy (and defy the existence of) American racism since Bojangles Bill Robinson held hands with Miss Shirley Temple as they danced down the stairs of a Hollywood set over sixty years ago.
Now we return to brown suit as his head flops back and we see his comb-over. Wow. Here is a parody white guy for sure. Deeply uncool.
Jump to two white ranch workers nodding in the middle of a sheering, the half-trimmed sheep, it's sheered butt bright compared to it's dirty thick wool, standing to the right of them. They are both in dirty jeans and shirts. With a background in American history, a viewer knows that cattle and sheepmen were at often at odds. So this image works with the cowboy image to cement that "unity in diversity" theme. And what is unifying these old enemies is that both are now, in the 21st Century, bored of their jobs. This image is funny in part because these men are handling sharp tools and something could go wrong.
Jump other people who handle sharp tools -- three male(?) Japanese(?) sushi chefs (if I recognize their attire, I must myself have gone to such a restaurant -- meaning that I am middle class or have seen this image on TV). The question mark means that the image goes by so quickly that only the front chef is obviously male and Asian. They are in white uniforms with hats. The cleanliness of this image contrasts with the filth of the sheep image.
Jump to nerds! Yes, these people LOOK like they are at a Star Trek convention, though slowing the commercial down makes it clear that these are parody trekkers. In front, a guy at a check in desk wears a Star officer uniform of some kind. The three facing us wear "V"s of red. One is a tall, glasses-wearing red-headed young woman -- pretty but can't get a "regular" date because she is shy. Beside her is a fat white boy who probably spends his days on his computer in his mom's house. Beside him is short haired African-American, proving that blacks are not only the traditional pop star but also geeks. This is a positive move toward more contemporary racial imagery. And, to bring our diverse images into the Future, to the far right of the frame is a model of a "Gray," one of the traditional types of extra-terrestrials. They are in a meeting room with a few other chatting people, also in costumes. On the wall behind is a sign reading something like "Galactic ...." The room looks like a small hotel conference room. Trekkies, nerds, are people whose lived are absolutely wrapped up in their love of fictional worlds. These are people so bored or fearful of real life that they live vicariously in a world of adventure and romance.
Jump to rows of bobble heads seen in close-up. SYMBOL! We, American workers, are bobble head dolls, nodding our agreement, nodding our boredom with our work lives. Cut to the guy at the bobble-head plant nodding over the passing line of dolls.
Jump to a student IQ quiz program and an African American girl in what could be a parochial school outfit is nodding as the tall white boy across from her racks up 9200 points. The announcer is another white guy in a suit. The image behind them in the TV studio is a night city skyline.
Jump back to brown suit. (He's our recurring gag of recurring gags).
Jump to mid-shot of muscular stocky thirty-something guy in an orange shirt with rolled sleeves nodding off in an outdoor area. Cut to long shot as child on swing flies back and knocks this guy on his butt. Here is Dad being bored and letting himself get hurt. The father who experiences taking care of the kid as a job. (Would a woman be as funny in this image?)
Jump back to close-up of black pop star.
Jump to heavy-set, white, nodding truck driver. (He could kill someone if he goes to sleep at the wheel.)
Cut to midshot of skinny, white, cap on backwards mechanic with a full beard and long hair, falling asleep at the switch as (cut to long shot) car rises to be crushed against a pole on the ceiling. This image expands on the hint of danger in the truck-driver shot. We see a car destroyed (as we could imagine with the truck) but with no-one actually hurt. Nevertheless, we are asked to notice, subconsciously, the serious danger of our boredom (as was hinted at with the images that contained the knowledge of knives).
Jump to bobble head factory. Jump to two sushi chefs (where there is a shoulder between us and the chefs). Jump to black pop star. Jump to parking valets. Cut to brown suit and his face goes right into the soup and we see the big bald spot under the comb-over.
Jump to office corridor where a young, short woman in a dark and light argyle vest pushes a cart of bottles between our nodding office workers. We go from the hallway shot to a shot looking up from the cart to the heads of the two women, blond and black as they bounce down. Shot of the Diet Pepsi Max bottles on the cart. Group closeup of three workers, two white and one black (the young man is now, suddenly, in a continuity error, on the right side of the cart) as they tilt back the bottles at the same time.
At this point the mixed, off-beat nodding turns, through the miracle of caffeine, into DANCE MOVES! and the Night at the Roxbury parody commences...a parody of a parody. Cut to a shot of the entire office and our three Pepsi drinkers are bouncing, not nodding, heads flipping sideways in time to the dance anthem.
Cut to black pop star, Pepsi in hand, bouncing his head and pointing at us! Hey, he wakes up and now he LIKES us! He KNOWS us! Smiling! And Mr. Brown suit with the moustach is smiling at us too, drinking Pepsi with his soup! His eyes are open. As are the eyes of the nerds, now smiling and happy as they bounce. Cut to another black pop star, his head moving sideways in an action recognizable as African American in form. Cut to the three people in the TV IQ quiz, all head bouncing in unison. Then we return to where we began, with the Superbowl announcer bouncing his head (badly) and his colleague making eye contact with the camera as though to say, "What's with this guy?"
Cut to our sales line, "Wake Up People!" in read and blue sans serif print, WAKE UP in red and PEOPLE in blue, the letters outlined in white. Red, white, and Blue. In voice-over the announcer tells us that the drink has ginseng and caffeine and zero calories.
The "cute" conclusion has two young women in modified dress-up outfits (denim but with jewelry, one wearing a low-cut tank top) at a clothes cleaners, with glistening plastic in the background, bouncing their big hair (an eighties theme) as Chris Kattan, original star of Night at the Roxbury, walks between them and yells, "Stop It" His character is supposed to be thinking that they are making fun of him (what self absorption) when actually we know that everyone is dancing because Diet Pepsi Max carries its dance anthem with it.
As an aside: I bought two versions of Haddaway's What Is Love from ITunes in March and let me tell you, it's not a good idea to sing along with your IPod and bounce your head while walking across campus, not if you want people to respect you as a senior professor.
Gotta get to work now...so I'm gonna plug in my tunes.
Back
Wow. I got pretty far behind in my grading and everything else. This administrative adjunct job I do has things popping up all the time. Like a faculty member whose time in class was being wasted because she kept having to track down a special chair necessary for a student with a disability. Others kept moving the chair. So I felt it was my job to send out an email to everyone who works in the five classroom building where she has a class and let them know of the problem. I did that by checking between our online list of courses and our Webviewer overview of which classes are offered in the building. Used to be I could just go to the secretaries office and she could give me the bird's eye lowdown. But now it's all online and I can track down the info myself. That's progress -- always moving from people to the machines. And then the machines think of new work for us to do. And don't get me started on Banner.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Boot Camp
Just finished my first full weekend of this spring's Redmond Public Speaking Bootcamp. My new way of teaching the course, with the small assignments, just didn't work this time. I need to reconstruct the workshop and make the various assignments more appropriate. I have to say I felt pretty stupid and very tired most of the day. I like the students in the class -- it's an interesting mix but mostly older. I haven't had such a non-traditional age class for more than 8 years. Like many community colleges around the country, we are seeing more traditional age students in our classes.
I'm thinking that I need to get my behind in gear and make samples of each of the small assignments and create my own full examples of the informative and persuasive speeches.
Also, you know, it gets harder to crank out the kind of energy I need for the weekend classes.
I'm thinking that I need to get my behind in gear and make samples of each of the small assignments and create my own full examples of the informative and persuasive speeches.
Also, you know, it gets harder to crank out the kind of energy I need for the weekend classes.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Making Mistakes
I made some mistakes in my morning public speaking class. The biggest one was made as I was assessing an assignment early this morning. For some reason I got going too fast and forgot the total count for the paperwork assignment. After grading the speeches (all 40 points) I just had it in my head that the top grade for the paperwork was 40 as well, instead of 25. Sigh. One student called this to my attention after class. Harm done by that time so instead of taking back the papers I just decided to give everyone who turned in the work an extra 15 points. In the great scheme of the class it won't make that much difference. Still, I hate it when I make stupid mistakes like that.
I think it's because I've had a cold and been hitting the antihistamines too hard. Either that or I'm just having the usual, "hit the wall, go through the wall, rebuild the wall, paint on the wall" spring quarter.
I think it's because I've had a cold and been hitting the antihistamines too hard. Either that or I'm just having the usual, "hit the wall, go through the wall, rebuild the wall, paint on the wall" spring quarter.
Implanting Memories about Fritalians
I made my Interpersonal Communication students watch the Dunkin Donuts commercial as part of our discussion of perception. We watched the ad (on youtube) in class and then I asked them to describe two characters and make inferences about them. I also asked them, "which character was wearing a red shirt." After they wrote notes individually, they interacted in groups. As I circulated among them, I kept asking, "Who do you remember wearing the red shirt?" Different people had different memories.
There is no red shirt in the ad.
Yet, they became, with my insistance, sure that they remembered.
This is the best classroom activity I've ever performed concerning the flexibility of memory. It also afforded an excellent example of how perceptions vary. A fun activity.
There is no red shirt in the ad.
Yet, they became, with my insistance, sure that they remembered.
This is the best classroom activity I've ever performed concerning the flexibility of memory. It also afforded an excellent example of how perceptions vary. A fun activity.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The Cheating Exercise
This morning my T Th class did their "main point" presentations and most of them focused on "cheating in school".
Just to clarify, the "main point" speaking activity is a partial speech assignment. I have them create a single main point and find statistics and a story to support it. They choose one of four main points from a speech about cheating. I started using this as a speaking assignment when I had to start generating data about student learning outcomes for our accreditation. So I had to get all rubricized and quantitative.
Anyway, I love this assignment because it helps them work with research AND visual aids and trains them to give the source of their research. ALSO, because of the topic they focus on, it gets them thinking about the ethics of the American people...which, statistically, are pretty questionable. Most interesting statistic came from the 2001 McCabe, Trevino, Butterfield study on Cheating in Institutions http://www.swarthmore.edu/NatSci/cpurrin1/plagiarism/docs/McCabe_et_al.pdf
This assignment also gives them another opportunity to speak and this morning they seemed less nervous and lots more energetic.
I like this class.
Just to clarify, the "main point" speaking activity is a partial speech assignment. I have them create a single main point and find statistics and a story to support it. They choose one of four main points from a speech about cheating. I started using this as a speaking assignment when I had to start generating data about student learning outcomes for our accreditation. So I had to get all rubricized and quantitative.
Anyway, I love this assignment because it helps them work with research AND visual aids and trains them to give the source of their research. ALSO, because of the topic they focus on, it gets them thinking about the ethics of the American people...which, statistically, are pretty questionable. Most interesting statistic came from the 2001 McCabe, Trevino, Butterfield study on Cheating in Institutions http://www.swarthmore.edu/NatSci/cpurrin1/plagiarism/docs/McCabe_et_al.pdf
This assignment also gives them another opportunity to speak and this morning they seemed less nervous and lots more energetic.
I like this class.
WAKE UP FRITALIANS! Part 1 Dunkin
Ok. So right now I am obsessed with two commercials -- the Dunkin Donuts Fritalian spot and the Pepsi Max head bouncer with "What Is Love?" as its driving tune. What these ads share is hooky music that shot its tendrils deep into my cerebellum and a humorous take on American diversity.
So let's take a look at each one.
Dunkin Donuts "Must be Fritalian"
This ad takes aim at Starbucks and those businesses that try to match the global corporation's pseudo-European linguistic universe. In the commercial we, the viewers (intended audience) are represented by a cluster of singing heads that show their confusion about the words on the wall menu of a coffee shop.
Their faces are twisted in confusion as they say in a deadpan monotone, "Ocho half-caf latte chino mocha due avec moi." We begin with the back of a short haired white head and then look, syllable by syllable, at a collection of faces. After seeing them individually, we see them as a line of eight people who stare over the head of the barista at strange word formations as they sing (in a melody line that could have been ripped from a 90s Seattle grunge band, another slap at the Starbucks fantasy of its beginnings), "My mouth can't form these words. My mind can't find these words. Is it French, or is it Italian. Perhaps Fritalian."
At this point I want to share my ideas about who these people are supposed to be and why we are supposed to "identify" with them. (I always suppose that makers of commercials are trying to "establish consubstantiality," as my hero Kenneth Burke would have said.) (For more about Burke, see http://bradley.bradley.edu/~ell/burke.html ) I believe that this commercial is about not just Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks but a particular vision of what it means to be American.
So, who is trapped in Starbucks and would, in the vision of the commercial, be better served by Dunkin Donuts where they speak English? First I should note that all the singers and the Barista are wearing gray, white, black and gray-green to stand out from the yellowish background of the coffee shop wall but also to blend together and give us the impression that they inhabit a bland world of sameness. The ten characters in the shop are the following:
#1 Normal Young-Guy. In his thirties, wearing a muddy green t-shirt over a gray undershirt. He's nice looking but not spectacular (his features are even, hair clean, face oval, eyes hazel). He's our jogger, bicyclist, grad student type. The sort who isn't yet at work in the morning of a workday. Maybe he e-commutes. Average guy, though.
#2 Biz man. In his early forties. He too is not bad looking. A bit plain but still even featured; has all his hair (and its full if not styled). His brown eyes are a bit small but the lines on his face are friendly. He has a tie and bluish shirt. He's on his way to work. He stands in for those normal working people who once-upon-a-time had coffee perking on the kitchen counter but now have coffee outside of home on their way in to the office.
#3 Grunge dude (skate boarder?). Blond hair shaggy flip over cut stacked under thick as though teased or dirty. Empty stoner gold stoner eyes. Very dry lips. He's been smoking pot somewhere and wandered in for his morning treat and now stands confused before the sign. He is us in our youth, before we started earning money. Or, he represents the actual stoner watching the commercial.
#4 African-American woman. Representing American diversity. She wears her natural tied back and up on top of her head. She is going to work. Has tiny hoops in her ears, suggesting, along with her skirt and shirt, that she works in a conservative office environment. So she represents not only American diversity but also cubical workers. Because her hair is natural but controlled, we understand her as seeking authenticity in a bureaucratized world. (If she had bleached or ironed hair she would represent giving in to dominant authority.)
#5 Thin Blond. Her long blond bangs reach down to her pale blue eyes. She has long straight hair. Her chin, in this ad, is a bit too pointy so her beauty isn't perfect. In my youth she would have been a hippie. Now she may be a housewife, soccer mom, or rich woman on her way to the spa. Her face is pretty and she has a full lower lip. But she is not played up as beautiful. She is an ordinary but especially nice looking woman. The typical too-thin American blond. (She wants a skinny double latte.)
#6 Curly red hair guy. Plaid shirt over undershirt, receding hairline. Could be another guy who works at home or a contractor. He has a receding hairline and pale eyes. Nice enough looking but certainly not handsome. He can represent those who still work with their hands for a living OR someone from a family with that background.
#7 Asian (Korean?) business guy. Wearing a gray tie and suit with an over the shoulder bag. He's another representative of American diversity, also stands in for those bound to conservative offices. Has plenty of hair but well back on his head. Possibly thirties, forties. There's something odd about his hairline when you look at it closely in a freezeframe -- almost as though he's wearing a wig. I'm not sure if this is intentional.
#8 (after a pause while the group sings) Red headed woman with twisted mouth. Now, she's been trashed on You Tube for being ugly. She's not. She has an evenly balanced face that she's purposefully wrenching for this commercial by curling her upper lip and acting like she's going to spit. She has large hoop earing than African-American woman and a gold chain. I don't think she's going to work. She may be going shopping. She has gray eyes and her hair is poorly or barely styled. Because she and plaid shirt guy have similar hair, and are standing next to each other, it may be that we are intended to link them, so they represent a married or dating couple.
#9 Short guy. He has a nice face but we never see him in close-up. He stands between blonde woman and Asian biz guy, making both look taller.
#10 Barista. Oh, my. His black hair has this nineties style flock-of-seagulls haircut. When he turns toward the camera in a midshot we see he is wearing expensive glasses. He himself sings along with "perhaps Fritalian" with a sarcastic turn to his lips. He reads a bit gay, a bit goofy nerd.
So, this is an image of the folks Dunkin Donuts hopes will visit their shop -- harried workers, drive by exercisers, wannabe wealthy, and the stoned.
And who already goes to Dunkin? The eleventh character: chunky, white, next-door neighbor workaholic with a big-gulp size latte. We see him first in his reflection and then in his actual physical form. He also is harried -- we see that he has TWO bag straps over his shoulder. His sleeves are rolled up (he's working) and yet he has no tie (he has some freedom in his job).
The announcer proclaims, "Delicious Lattes from Dunkin Donuts. You order them in English, not Fritalian." Our average guy is smiling as he looks into the Coffee A shop and the customers stare back at him in jealousy and aw (check out grunge dude's open mouth).
"America runs on Dunkin" the graphics say at the end, emphasizing the commercial's link to national identity and the Calvin Coolidge's claim that "the business of America is business."
Well, looks like I've got to shower and get to school. No time to deconstruct the Pepsi commercial right now. But stay tuned to these, our stations.
So let's take a look at each one.
Dunkin Donuts "Must be Fritalian"
This ad takes aim at Starbucks and those businesses that try to match the global corporation's pseudo-European linguistic universe. In the commercial we, the viewers (intended audience) are represented by a cluster of singing heads that show their confusion about the words on the wall menu of a coffee shop.
Their faces are twisted in confusion as they say in a deadpan monotone, "Ocho half-caf latte chino mocha due avec moi." We begin with the back of a short haired white head and then look, syllable by syllable, at a collection of faces. After seeing them individually, we see them as a line of eight people who stare over the head of the barista at strange word formations as they sing (in a melody line that could have been ripped from a 90s Seattle grunge band, another slap at the Starbucks fantasy of its beginnings), "My mouth can't form these words. My mind can't find these words. Is it French, or is it Italian. Perhaps Fritalian."
At this point I want to share my ideas about who these people are supposed to be and why we are supposed to "identify" with them. (I always suppose that makers of commercials are trying to "establish consubstantiality," as my hero Kenneth Burke would have said.) (For more about Burke, see http://bradley.bradley.edu/~ell/burke.html ) I believe that this commercial is about not just Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks but a particular vision of what it means to be American.
So, who is trapped in Starbucks and would, in the vision of the commercial, be better served by Dunkin Donuts where they speak English? First I should note that all the singers and the Barista are wearing gray, white, black and gray-green to stand out from the yellowish background of the coffee shop wall but also to blend together and give us the impression that they inhabit a bland world of sameness. The ten characters in the shop are the following:
#1 Normal Young-Guy. In his thirties, wearing a muddy green t-shirt over a gray undershirt. He's nice looking but not spectacular (his features are even, hair clean, face oval, eyes hazel). He's our jogger, bicyclist, grad student type. The sort who isn't yet at work in the morning of a workday. Maybe he e-commutes. Average guy, though.
#2 Biz man. In his early forties. He too is not bad looking. A bit plain but still even featured; has all his hair (and its full if not styled). His brown eyes are a bit small but the lines on his face are friendly. He has a tie and bluish shirt. He's on his way to work. He stands in for those normal working people who once-upon-a-time had coffee perking on the kitchen counter but now have coffee outside of home on their way in to the office.
#3 Grunge dude (skate boarder?). Blond hair shaggy flip over cut stacked under thick as though teased or dirty. Empty stoner gold stoner eyes. Very dry lips. He's been smoking pot somewhere and wandered in for his morning treat and now stands confused before the sign. He is us in our youth, before we started earning money. Or, he represents the actual stoner watching the commercial.
#4 African-American woman. Representing American diversity. She wears her natural tied back and up on top of her head. She is going to work. Has tiny hoops in her ears, suggesting, along with her skirt and shirt, that she works in a conservative office environment. So she represents not only American diversity but also cubical workers. Because her hair is natural but controlled, we understand her as seeking authenticity in a bureaucratized world. (If she had bleached or ironed hair she would represent giving in to dominant authority.)
#5 Thin Blond. Her long blond bangs reach down to her pale blue eyes. She has long straight hair. Her chin, in this ad, is a bit too pointy so her beauty isn't perfect. In my youth she would have been a hippie. Now she may be a housewife, soccer mom, or rich woman on her way to the spa. Her face is pretty and she has a full lower lip. But she is not played up as beautiful. She is an ordinary but especially nice looking woman. The typical too-thin American blond. (She wants a skinny double latte.)
#6 Curly red hair guy. Plaid shirt over undershirt, receding hairline. Could be another guy who works at home or a contractor. He has a receding hairline and pale eyes. Nice enough looking but certainly not handsome. He can represent those who still work with their hands for a living OR someone from a family with that background.
#7 Asian (Korean?) business guy. Wearing a gray tie and suit with an over the shoulder bag. He's another representative of American diversity, also stands in for those bound to conservative offices. Has plenty of hair but well back on his head. Possibly thirties, forties. There's something odd about his hairline when you look at it closely in a freezeframe -- almost as though he's wearing a wig. I'm not sure if this is intentional.
#8 (after a pause while the group sings) Red headed woman with twisted mouth. Now, she's been trashed on You Tube for being ugly. She's not. She has an evenly balanced face that she's purposefully wrenching for this commercial by curling her upper lip and acting like she's going to spit. She has large hoop earing than African-American woman and a gold chain. I don't think she's going to work. She may be going shopping. She has gray eyes and her hair is poorly or barely styled. Because she and plaid shirt guy have similar hair, and are standing next to each other, it may be that we are intended to link them, so they represent a married or dating couple.
#9 Short guy. He has a nice face but we never see him in close-up. He stands between blonde woman and Asian biz guy, making both look taller.
#10 Barista. Oh, my. His black hair has this nineties style flock-of-seagulls haircut. When he turns toward the camera in a midshot we see he is wearing expensive glasses. He himself sings along with "perhaps Fritalian" with a sarcastic turn to his lips. He reads a bit gay, a bit goofy nerd.
So, this is an image of the folks Dunkin Donuts hopes will visit their shop -- harried workers, drive by exercisers, wannabe wealthy, and the stoned.
And who already goes to Dunkin? The eleventh character: chunky, white, next-door neighbor workaholic with a big-gulp size latte. We see him first in his reflection and then in his actual physical form. He also is harried -- we see that he has TWO bag straps over his shoulder. His sleeves are rolled up (he's working) and yet he has no tie (he has some freedom in his job).
The announcer proclaims, "Delicious Lattes from Dunkin Donuts. You order them in English, not Fritalian." Our average guy is smiling as he looks into the Coffee A shop and the customers stare back at him in jealousy and aw (check out grunge dude's open mouth).
"America runs on Dunkin" the graphics say at the end, emphasizing the commercial's link to national identity and the Calvin Coolidge's claim that "the business of America is business."
Well, looks like I've got to shower and get to school. No time to deconstruct the Pepsi commercial right now. But stay tuned to these, our stations.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
First Speeches
(from Myspace)
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
 | First Speeches I had my first speeches today in my morning speech class -- 28 speeches of introduction. They had to introduce one of their classmates to the class. They’re an interesting bunch -- the majority seem committed to school and to their own learning. No one seemed overly nervous and most followed directions well. They were very good at being able to clarify their thesis statements. I look forward to a high quality quarter. |
working 
Old Lady
Old Lady from April 10, 2008, Myspace
Current mood: 
Great moment in class on Tuesday. One of my students asked about the blue streak in my hair. He asked what it meant because he saw "another old lady" downtown who had the same hairstyle.
"Old Lady!" I said. "Mature? Queenly?" I was thinking, "Hey, I'm middle aged" but really, since I don't expect to live to be 100, I am past middle age. Nevertheless, the term "old lady" isn't one we particularly find positive in our culture and it was interesting that he felt comfortable enough with me the third day of class to use an uncomplimentary (albiet honest) term.
Also, considering that I MAY live for 30 years after my retirement (if I can trust my Dad's DNA) or I may die tomorrow (I always try to remember that "No one knows the day or the hour" for either the end of the world or their own demise I could be seen as old or still having a bit of life left in me.
Moving from My Space
I started a blog on myspace but came to hate the myspace environment very quickly. So the first two entries here will be cut and pasted from my myspace site.
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