Monday, March 07, 2005

tales of academia, discussion guide edition

At a meeting last week, I sat next to a graduate student who is teaching a course on issues of race and ethnicity in the United States.

"Hey, how's your class going?"
"Fine. I'm showing a video."
"Always a good strategy."
"Yeah, we're going to have discussion afterward. I'm still trying to come up with interesting and specific things to discuss." [holds up an instructor guide that was available along with the film]
"Oh, I would think this would have all kinds of great ideas."
"They have a whole page of ideas. Check it out. It may be the least helpful page I have ever read."
[looks at page]
"Dear God! You're right. You have to let me borrow this and scan it for my blog."

Below are two examples from it. Keep in mind that this is a video about race relations in smaller communities, and the idea of a discussion guide is to have interesting ideas for discussion that might not spring immediately to the instructor's mind:



4 comments:

dorotha said...

wow! i usually just look at my students blankly. if nothing happens, i say, "discuss." i get pretty good results, but not everyone is as charismatic as i am.

Anonymous said...

7. Why can't we all just get along? Discuss.

Anonymous said...

Lo! there came'th a call for a feral cat poem to be made
O! see LDM scurry hither whence bade
but if the finest glazed can't get me laid
why should'st any cat I aid?
Least thou would'st color me a darker shade
a poem then for thee before the night do'th fade:

One feline verse only I grant'th unto thee
I wish your little beast upon thy bed to pee
be it a he, be it a she
t'would be such a sight to see
verily to smirk'th with glee
when after its deed to deftly flee
into yon woods to frolic feral and free -
T'is what you did'st ask of me....
-LDM

Anonymous said...

This company needs to contract with Starbucks and do some cup logos for them. " Have a great day if you're alive" comes to mind. Esther