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Wednesday, March 8th, 2006
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8:41a - My morning class & Teaching influences
Last days of class are chaotic, intense, and (for me) fun. Students are trying to catch up, make up, and weasel. (In some classes more than others.) It’s a flurry of activity. Sometimes I question my role in creating this fervor. I suppose that if I didn’t allow students to turn in their work late, they may do it on time. However, I’ve found that more students fail the class entirely or drop out during the semester. One of my goals is retention, so I am ambivalent about extending deadlines as a tool to that end.
The other day, I was in a training meeting about teaching writing. Several other writing teachers were there, and we were discussing our influences. One of my favorite college professors allowed me to interview her before I started my own teacher training.
We were in her cramped, tiny office. It was stereotypical. Books lined the shelves. Paper spilled from towers of stacked books, magazines, folders. It was hard to tell what was what. However, it wasn’t completely disorganized. There wasn’t a layer of dust or signs of disuse. At the time of the interview, she was also the head of the department as well as teaching her courses. I was thrilled that she made time to see me. I was also nervous about asking her stupid questions. She was an amazing scholar and had presence. I asked her, “When I was in your class, I worked harder than in any other class up to that time. And I noticed that other students also actually did their homework. How do you get students to study for your class?”
She looked at me directly and sat silent for a few seconds. “Intimidation.”
This professor always wore black. She had long, stringy, fly-away hair. She never wore make-up or jewelry (that I remember). She wasn’t tall or physically impressive. In class, she became a teaching demon. She stalked up and down the aisles of the classroom. Her voice held the attention of the class as she read to us. She asked tough questions, and the students often did not know how to answer. If we attempted to form an answer, she helped us to shape our words. She made us find our own answers. For those who didn’t try, she held their feet to the fire. No bullshit, no excuses were allowed. And I don’t remember anyone trying to beg their way out of the work.
My recollections are colored by the past. I don’t remember doing any homework for this class, but I know I must have. I was always struggling when I prepared for this class. What could I, a lowly college sophomore, have to say about these works of literature? I had read them only once or maybe seen a play or film version (if at all before the class). Insecurity plagued my study sessions. Overall, I did well in a demanding course, and her presentation of the material really influenced me as a teacher. It also made me see more in some familiar works of literature.
She wasn’t my only influence as a teacher, but when I find students not doing their work a miniature version of her pops up on my shoulder. “You should use my technique.” The problem is I don’t see myself as intimidating, and my teaching philosophy doesn’t include emotionally manipulating students. But sometimes I wonder if it would work.
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10:38a - It's a trap!!!
Just when I think the lousy pay, lack of benefits, and erratic schedules are no longer worth it, a student will say or do something to reel me back in and remind me of why I got into this line of work in the first place. This week, I received the following response from a developmental writing student after we'd had an in-class writing conference and after I'd followed up on an e-mailed request for assistance with an assignment:
Hi Professor Mary Jo:
I did recieve your e-mail with the websites. Also I would like to take this time to tell you how I see your method of teaching as accurate, and very non-assuming in terms of putting every one of us on the page at first-gear (if you will). In other words your method of teaching is tight! Don't change because many of us, or speaking for myself, have not gotten this type of break down in many years and the newer teachers who taught english writing in the community college were a JOKE!!* Also, if it were not for you taking one tiny moment of your time last evening to explain to me what the gist of my essay in my other class was asking, I would still be confused, you made it clear- as -a- bell. Hopefully I can follow through and give my instructor what she is asking, however I have a better idea of how to approach the task.
Thank you,
Name withheld
*I should note that this student is enrolled in an upper-division university, but most of the teaching I do is at a local community college. And for those of you reading and thinking to yourselves, "Ohmigawd, the grammar! How can she be proud of this?" Well, let me just say that you should have seen her writing only a month and a half ago! This represents a vast improvement. Teaching developmental writing is more rewarding than teaching any other level of composition for this reason; students can make monumental strides in a single semester.
current mood:  touched (2 comments |comment on this)
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