Okay, a lot of you have been waiting for this post.
The teacher post.
I talked about a teacher I have/had a while back, but I didn’t really set a list of rules or standards, so this is it.
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Make a syllabus, and stick to it.
You should only have to stray from your syllabus once or twice.
Do not have papers that are due when class starts, when class ends, on weekends, on non-class days in the morning, on non-class days in the afternoon, on class days outside of class, and during class.
Be freaking consistent.
Do not accept papers from e-mails sometimes, under the door sometimes, in the mailbox sometimes, in class sometimes, and via Pidgey sometimes.
Be fricking consistent.
Do not talk about your personal life for more than ten minutes per class.
ASK if we know what a general knowledge writing skill is before teaching it like we’re stupid.
If you don’t know a certain computer action, ASK.
Please, baby Jesus, ASK.
ASK if someone in the class knows how to do something, before you teach your vomit-syphilis-ugly way of doing it hastily.
And DON’T just say “well there’s that, or you can do it my easier way,” which is ALWAYS the harder, uglier way.
When asked a question, just answer the question.
If the asker wants to know “why,” they will ask “why” afterwards.
If you have trouble keeping attention in a class that takes place in a computer lab, don’t just give up and have the students circle up.
It is only 50% of the student’s responsibility to pay attention.
Guess who’s the other 50%.
Accept e-mail.
I promise you, more papers will get turned in if e-mail is accepted.
If there are worries about printing, we have a printers across campus, and yeah, ink and toner and paper is expensive, but they predict that people will print crazily, and stock accordingly.
DO…
NOT…
For the love of sweet baby Jesus…
Bring your personal opinions about the environment or politics into the classroom.
If you have to, go out of your way to avoid doing so.
Have one main way of contact.
I know it sounds good to have more than one, but in reality, having a fax, cell phone, home phone, office hours, campus hours, mailbox, and a Pidgey is not preferred over frequent checks of e-mail.
Nobody wants to call your cell phone.
Or house phone.
Nobody wants to text you, either.
Nobody wants to make a lunch date with you.
No offense, but you’re a teacher.
It’s society’s fault.
USE your overhead.
I promise you: It’s NOT THAT COMPLICATED.
Turn it on…
Press “source” until the computer’s screen pops up…
POINT THE REMOTE TO THE MACHINE.
The projector screen is just a flexible white wall, there’s no electric anything there, and if the remote works sparsely with the screen, it’s 100% of the time an accidental reflection or the remote being really good.
Augh.
To be continued.
