RE: [tips] Random Thought: A Challenge
1. To break barriers of strangerness, aloneness, and loneliness, to build bridges, and create classroom community, no one faces the back of anyone elses head. You will always look at someone 2. Out of respect to yourself, you will not utter a negative about your ability, talents, capability, and potential. If you do, youll have to make a $1.00 donation to the Cancer Society (being a cancer survivor, thats my choice) for each negative utterance. 3. No one will utter a sound without first introducing him/herself 4. Out of respect to yourself and everyone else in the class, you will not be late to class. If you are late and do not have an acceptable reason, you will make a $1.00 donation to the Cancer Society 5.Out of respect to yourself and everyone else in the class cell phones will be turned off! If your cell phone goes off in class or if you are seen text messaging or if you are seen reading a text message, you will bring Fresh DIXIE CREAM OR DAYLIGHT DONUTSI repeat, fresh DIXIE CREAM OR DAYLIGHT DONUTSon the next class day for the entire class to munch on. If you have an impending emergency and clear it with me, you can leave the cell phone on to receive the call or text message. Make it a good day. --Louis-- Louis Schmier http://www.therandomthoughts.com Department of History http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org Valdosta State University Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\ /\ (229-333-5947) /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__/\ \/\ / \/ \_ \/ / \/ /\/ \ /\ //\/\/ /\ \__/__/_/\_\ \_/__\ /\"If you want to climb mountains,\ /\ _ / \ don't practice on mole hills" - --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly (bsouthe...@frostburg.edu)
RE: [tips] Random Thought: A Challenge
On Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:06:59 -0700, Jim Matiya wrote: >What are the five "inviolable rules" in your FYE (?) history class. Not >using cell phones in class is one, what are the other four? The first rule of FYE history class is: 1st RULE: You do not talk about FYE HISTORY CLASS. 2nd RULE: You DO NOT talk about FYE HISTORY CLASS! I'm sure that folks can figure out the rest. (NOTE: http://graphjam.com/upcoming/?pid=13617 but see: http://digg.com/comedy/Fight_Club_rules ) Oh, can don't say you didn't see this coming. By the way, consider this my contribution towards Humpday Humor Day. And... His name is Robert Paulson. -Mike Palij New York University m...@nyu.edu --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly (bsouthe...@frostburg.edu)
RE: [tips] Random Thought: A Challenge
What are the five "inviolable rules" in your FYE (?) history class. Not using cell phones in class is one, what are the other four? Jim Jim Matiya Florida Gulf Coast University jmat...@fgcu.edu Contributor, for Karen Huffman's Psychology in Action, Video Guest Lecturettes John Wiley and Sons. Using David Myers' texts for AP Psychology? Go to http://bcs.worthpublishers.com/cppsych/ High School Psychology and Advanced Psychology Graphic Organizers, Pacing Guides, and Daily Lesson Plans archived at www.Teaching-Point.net > From: m...@nyu.edu > To: tips@acsun.frostburg.edu > CC: m...@nyu.edu > Subject: re: [tips] Random Thought: A Challenge > Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:41:18 -0400 > > When your student, let's call him "Eric Cartman", brought in the > donuts, did any of them have a creamy glaze? If he offers to > bring in chilli, don't accept it. And if he brings in "Woodland Critters" > at Christmas, run like hell. > > Just saying, we can end a story whenever we want, with whatever > we think are to be the "facts" as we understand them (and in ignorance > of other facts that are not available to us). Just remember, if you're > eating in a "Fight Club" world, always ask for "clean food". > > -Mike Palij > New York University > m...@nyu.edu > > > > On Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:12:04 -0700, Louis Schmier wrote: > As I laid out the five "inviolable rules" on the first day of my FYE > history > class, thoughts of a first semester student whom I'll call Sam quickly > flashed > by. Let me > just say that at a particularly serious moment mid-way through the semester, > he > openly > challenged me big time. He wantonly and knowingly broke an "inviolable" rule. > He had his > cell phone turned on, was sneaking peeks at text messages coming in, and was > text > messaging under the desk. Three times out of the corner of my eye I saw him > doing it. I > called him out. Parts of our on-going exchange went almost verbatim something > like this: > > > "Sam, what do you have there?" > > "Nothing?" > > "You using your phone?" > > "No," > > I knew he lied to me, but I let it pass for the moment and got back to > reading the > riot act to the class in an "unriotous" way. > > At the end of the class period, as the students were filing out, I > caught Sam by > the arm > > "Using your cell phone before?" I quietly asked. > > "Yeah," he admitted. > > I merely said, "You know the rules. Four dozen donuts. Next class." > > Then, his challenging sassing session began. "I'm not buying them." > > Students stopped, looked, and listened. "Were you were using your cell > phone? I > asked quietly. "Did you break the rules? Worse of all, did you lie to me? > Four dozen > donuts" > > "I don't have the money." > > "Then you shouldn't have taken the risk of being taught. Four dozen > donuts." > > "What if it was an emergency?" > > "I'm not bringing them in!" > > "You know the rules about cell phones. They're in the syllabus. I > told you about > them first day of class. I tell you everyday to shut those suckers off. And, > when mine > went off in class last week, I brought in donuts. Four dozen donuts." > > With an in-your-face posturing, he loudly said, "I'm paying your > salary. I sure > as hell am not going to feed your mouth." > > Calmly I responded, "Four dozen donuts. Next class." > > "And if I don't bring them?" > > "There are always consequences to breaking the rules." > > "They're not my rules." > > "They're mine. Four dozen donuts. Next classroom." > > "What are you going to do if I don't? You gonna kick me out of the > class? You > gonna lower my grade? Huh? Huh?" The gauntlet lay on the ground. > > I kept cool but firm All eyes were on me. I had a slight smile on my > face, > shuck my shoulders a bit, and replied with a nod of my head, I picked the > gauntlet up by > quietly saying, "That's for me to know and for you to worry about for the > rest > of the > semester. But, you don't really want me to be an unhappy camper. Four dozen > donuts! > Next class!" > > "I can still drop this course without you hurting me." > > "That's your decision, but that will cost you a lot more than four > d
re: [tips] Random Thought: A Challenge
When your student, let's call him "Eric Cartman", brought in the donuts, did any of them have a creamy glaze? If he offers to bring in chilli, don't accept it. And if he brings in "Woodland Critters" at Christmas, run like hell. Just saying, we can end a story whenever we want, with whatever we think are to be the "facts" as we understand them (and in ignorance of other facts that are not available to us). Just remember, if you're eating in a "Fight Club" world, always ask for "clean food". -Mike Palij New York University m...@nyu.edu On Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:12:04 -0700, Louis Schmier wrote: As I laid out the five "inviolable rules" on the first day of my FYE history class, thoughts of a first semester student whom I'll call Sam quickly flashed by. Let me just say that at a particularly serious moment mid-way through the semester, he openly challenged me big time. He wantonly and knowingly broke an "inviolable" rule. He had his cell phone turned on, was sneaking peeks at text messages coming in, and was text messaging under the desk. Three times out of the corner of my eye I saw him doing it. I called him out. Parts of our on-going exchange went almost verbatim something like this: "Sam, what do you have there?" "Nothing?" "You using your phone?" "No," I knew he lied to me, but I let it pass for the moment and got back to reading the riot act to the class in an "unriotous" way. At the end of the class period, as the students were filing out, I caught Sam by the arm "Using your cell phone before?" I quietly asked. "Yeah," he admitted. I merely said, "You know the rules. Four dozen donuts. Next class." Then, his challenging sassing session began. "I'm not buying them." Students stopped, looked, and listened. "Were you were using your cell phone? I asked quietly. "Did you break the rules? Worse of all, did you lie to me? Four dozen donuts" "I don't have the money." "Then you shouldn't have taken the risk of being taught. Four dozen donuts." "What if it was an emergency?" "I'm not bringing them in!" "You know the rules about cell phones. They're in the syllabus. I told you about them first day of class. I tell you everyday to shut those suckers off. And, when mine went off in class last week, I brought in donuts. Four dozen donuts." With an in-your-face posturing, he loudly said, "I'm paying your salary. I sure as hell am not going to feed your mouth." Calmly I responded, "Four dozen donuts. Next class." "And if I don't bring them?" "There are always consequences to breaking the rules." "They're not my rules." "They're mine. Four dozen donuts. Next classroom." "What are you going to do if I don't? You gonna kick me out of the class? You gonna lower my grade? Huh? Huh?" The gauntlet lay on the ground. I kept cool but firm All eyes were on me. I had a slight smile on my face, shuck my shoulders a bit, and replied with a nod of my head, I picked the gauntlet up by quietly saying, "That's for me to know and for you to worry about for the rest of the semester. But, you don't really want me to be an unhappy camper. Four dozen donuts! Next class!" "I can still drop this course without you hurting me." "That's your decision, but that will cost you a lot more than four dozen donuts." He stumped out with a muttering, "I ain't bringing in no donuts." The other students left buzzing. That wasn't the end of it. As I walked home, Sam was sitting on the lawn surrounded by three young ladies. He yelled out to me with a smirk on his face and a sarcasm in his voice, "I still ain't bringing in no donuts." Then, everyone laughed. I stopped, turned, walked over to him, swatted down, and with a firm voice and a stern face replied, "You don't want to try me." "I'll go to your department head or dean," he said with another snicker as he turned to the giggling girl.'' I knew he was showing off. Again, coolly and firmly I merely responded with a less than happy look on my face, "I told you at the beginning of the semester that I have had a hooded Klansman threaten me with a loaded shotgun when I was protesting a Klan meeting in Durham back in the sixties. What makes you think I'm quivering in fear at your meager threat? Like I said, 'you don't want to try me.'" The snicker left his face. The girls quieted down. He wrote in his journal that evening, "There sure are some disrespectful professors on this campus. They tell you they care about you and then show that they don't care." I wrote back, "Somehow I think deliberately breaking the rules, distracting other students, not listening, refusing to accept the accepted consequences, sassing
