Quickly

Albeit probably not briefly. However, Paul, William, and I are going out to dinner tonight, and we'll be leaving soon, so I'll write what I can until it's time to pack up and go.

I can't remember the nicknames I've given to the student in my earlier 102 who has been sort of a problem all semester long: he's the one who's been trying to get me to drop requirements, or to make assignments shorter, or otherwise make his life "easier." He was at it again today, when I reminded the students that at the end of the semester, they need to write a brief self-evaluation. You'd think I'd just assigned another research paper. In any event, I realized yesterday, in talking to a colleague, that I really need to let him know that his behavior is not acceptable--so I told him to stay for a minute after class. I told him that as a student, he has an option to look over a professor's syllabus, see the amount of work that will be assigned, and withdraw--but once he agrees to be in the class, it is disrespectful to continually challenge the professor on the rigor of the class. I also said that I know it is a hell of a lot of work, and very difficult, but that obviously he thinks he's getting something valuable out of it or he wouldn't still be there--and in any event, the main thing is for him to learn something, not for it to be easy. It was hard to read his expression: he looked either like he was fighting tears or like he was hostile--but he just sat there. I said my intention was for us to have a conversation, not for this to be a lecture, but he said he didn't have anything to say. I told him that the door was open for him to respond, but mostly I was concerned that if he continued with this kind of behavior, eventually he'd run across a professor who would have a serious problem with it--someone who would kick him out of class. I asked him if he was upset, and he said no, he doesn't get upset. (Bullshit. Everyone gets upset. But OK.) And as he left, he said, "I appreciate it; I appreciate your point of view." At first I thought he meant he appreciated being given some advice--which, I have to say, I presented as gently and with as much kindness as I could--but the part after the semicolon seems to indicate he was simply saying, "I heard you." Not that he really "appreciates" my point of view in the sense of agreeing with it, or even understanding it.

Well, whatever. I've said my piece. And I will be very interested to see what he has to say in the self-evaluation.

Back-tracking: about the two observations. The problematic faculty member of Monday night was 20 minutes late to class--and that reminds me, I need to revise the letter I'm to leave for him and get that to him tonight. He's in deep shit. The other faculty member was an adjunct who got a "needs improvement" rating last semester, when she first started for us. She's improved. Lovely.

But now, realizing that I have to rework that letter, I'd better do that real quick here, as Paul just returned and I know William is going to want to take off very soon....

I hope to have time and energy for a more substantive post tomorrow. I'm sure I can come up with something to say.