Wednesday, April 20, 2005

I've not been the same since the house fell on me.

Random mp3 mix from last night:

1. Manic Street Preachers – Motorcycle Emptiness
2. Lou Reed & John Cale – It Wasn’t Me
3. Los Lobos & Antonio Banderas – Cancion del Mariachi
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Porcelain
5. Wilco – How To Fight Loneliness
6. Moulin Rouge – El Tango de Roxanne
7. Gary Wright – Dream Weaver
8. Steve Miller Band – Keep On Rockin’ Me Baby
9. Barenaked Ladies – Rap #2
10. Holst’s “The Planets”
11. Evanescence – Haunted
12. Willie Nelson & Johnny Cash – Ghost Riders in the Sky
13. Cake – Stickshifts and Safetybelts
14. Brak – Front Door, Backside
15. Lifetime – 25 Cent Giraffe
16. Harvey Danger – Flagpole Sitter
17. DaVinci’s Notebook – Sgt. Pepper
18. D12 – My Band
19. Ben Folds Five – One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces
20. Mest – The Innocent

I like my mixes a little strange. Good thing, huh.

Today in class, I will give each student an instructor evaluation form. Then I have to leave the room while the students fill them out. I've never been evaluated by students before; I admit that I am a little scared. I'm strict but I'm never unfair, at least not on purpose. A few of the students have taken issue with me because I take attendance and do not allow makeup work for unexcused absences. The students who attend regularly have expressed appreciation for that, though; I don't blame them, either. Why should those who do the right thing (attend class and turn in work) have to sit there while those who do NOT do the right thing (skip class and try to hand in late work) get the same grades? Not fair. So I "show a bias" towards the students who show up on time, regularly, and turn in their work.

Silly me. I thought doing my job properly had something to do with the students doing THEIR job properly. I'm so old-fashioned.

It's been a long time since I've spoon-fed anyone. I'm a little out of practice.

Seriously? I've never spoonfed my students, no matter how old or young they were, and I certainly do not intend to begin now, on adult students.

Those who come to class, try hard, and are dependable, will get better grades than those who skip class, don't work very hard, and can't be relied upon. If any of them wish to take me on over those issues, I'm ready.

For the sake of the students who consistently do the right thing, I'm ready to take on those who don't yet expect the same benefits. They can bring their mothers if they want to make a REALLY big laughing stock of themselves. Yes, and their little dog, too.