In a distant grove — or was it hallway? — of academe, a student complaining about an essay assignment:
“I mean, she wants an introduction, a thesis statement. I’m sorry: this is, like, too much.”
What especially strikes me about this complaint: the assumption that an introduction and thesis statement are one despot’s demands, not elements of a college essay, made explicit for a student’s benefit. What will “she” demand next: sentences? paragraphs? a staple in the upper-left corner?
Related reading
All “overheard” posts (via Pinboard)
[Thanks, Michael.]
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Overheard
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Once in 1975 a student whined when I required that he only split words at the syllable breaks:"Yea, and I suppose when I get in another English class, I'll have to do it the way that teacher wants." I was actually flattered that he thought I had come up with splitting words by syllables.
ReplyDeleteI suppose that sometimes there’s a basis for complaint: my high school had an English teacher who had her own style for documentation.
ReplyDeleteBut about hyphenation — that wasn’t you?
Or - oh, the humanity! - a clear plastic cover?
ReplyDeleteI used to have to ban them (they were a drag to disassemble and reassemble), but I haven’t seen one in years. I suspect they’ve become deeply uncool.
ReplyDeleteBeware the snide of March!
ReplyDeleteYes, that’s tomorrow, last day before spring break.
ReplyDeleteI was going to go with "Beware the snide's remarks!", or even "Beware the snides of March!" but I was already reaching. And besides, "he who would pun would pick a pocket."
ReplyDeleteIn my family, we’re not made of steal, but we can’t resist the urge to pun.
ReplyDelete