20 February 2008¶ Election results
I was shocked to discover these results from my current class. For the record, it’s a sophomore-junior-level general ed requirement with a mix of majors. In the context of our discussion today, I passed out slips of papers and asked the students to anonymously write down the name of the candidate they would probably vote for.
McCain: 10
Obama: 5
Hillary: 2
Kucinich : 1
Abstaining: 3
Foreign nationals who didn’t understand my request: 1
Absent: 2
One of the semi-vocal McCain supporters complained while I passed out the slips that of course Obama would win, because college students always vote for Obama. He also complained about Hillary’s proposal to raise minimum wage and insisted that amnesty for undocumented workers would “destroy the economy.” I did the casual class election partly to shut him up. It worked: as soon as he realized his persecution complex was unjustified he sat down and got to work on his group’s assigned task.
I hoped the little election would relax the class generally. They are evaluating political rhetoric from the four significant (if we can still (could ever) call Huck significant) candidates. I have told them again and again, and will continue to tell them that this class is not about the politics, and that I don’t care — indeed we do not care as a class — whether or not a candidate’s policies are good or bad or unworkable or harmful or brilliant. We’re looking at the how, not the what of the candidates’ speeches.
Some still don’t get it. One in particular can’t grasp it, even though it seems like she’s trying really, really hard. When I asked the students to find an emotional appeal, it was easy. When I asked them to find where they cited authority as an appeal, that was easy too. But when I asked for a logical appeal, this student raised her hand and gave a lengthy semi-coherent response about how Obama’s appeal to young people was logical because, after all, they should be voting, right? So it’s logical to ask them to vote.
Huh? I hate when students do this: get something so dramatically wrong and then present it with the calm assurance of one who knows. It’s not so bad when the student is generally on target and I can correct her gently and she sees her error and moves forward pleased to have learned something. This student, however, is always just that wrong. It’s like she’s not really listening to what I’m saying, but only to what she thinks I should be saying, and then responds in her own echo chamber. We, sadly, are just forced to listen because I still call on her when she raises her hand.
It doesn’t help when students of this ilk show up to class 45 minutes late. It doesn’t help when they then raise their hand and ask how this relates to X — the thing I spent fifteen minutes explaining to the rest of the class.
As long as I’m venting, let me complain about the kid who stays after class to ask about the assignment I just gave out. They’ll ask me to explain, and I’ll repeat exactly what I just told the class, adding nothing, and he will then nod his head and repeat it back to me. Yes, I tell him, yes that is what the assignment is.
And then he stands there, apparently waiting for me to elaborate. But there’s nothing to add: it’s all there on the sheet, or online, or in my description that I’ve just given him twice and that he has repeated back to me. Is he going to ask a question? Sometimes he does, but it is the same thing over again. He screws up his face and asks if that means that he must [fill in the first step of the assignment]. Yes, I tell him, yes that is the first step; it is the one listed on the sheet in your hands.
“Oh, right right right. OK. OK, I’ve got it. Yes. OK,” he’ll say. But then he just stands there. If I have my stuff together I’ll grab it and head past him toward the door. I’ll invite him to my office if he needs to ask me any questions, but most of the time he declines and moves slowly out behind me.
I wonder if he’s just looking for a friend, or is really confused, or just moves slowly. I know he’s somewhat confused, and I’ve given him extra help on every major assignment so far. I’ve conferenced with him about every paper because he asks for help on every paper. I don’t mind those conferences or where I’m actually helping. But the infinite loop or assignment repetition is just annoying. I have suffered in silence until now, when I’ve whined about it on my blog.
I can guess what you are thinking; I wouldn’t pity me either.