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Feb

1

Death in a Classroom

Filed Under college studies, history, rants

I had no idea that the history of the Middle East could be so dull. I say this as we enter the final two hours of today’s class - (it’s 24 hours of lecture over three days). The professor is exceedingly nice, but his style of teaching is not engaging, the syllabus was unclear (and inaccurate), what he’s telling us is all written (better) in the book he assigned (Goldschmidt and Davidson’s A Concise History of the Middle East), and he does not invite any kind of critical thinking about the subject.

Right now I have a powerful need to graduate, and get my frickin degree, so that I can teach Islamic history!

Maybe it’s just the hormones talking. I do seem prone to feelings of rage and impatience recently. But in all seriousness, this classroom feels like the Nazgûl passed through here. Jeezus.

*****

Side note: there is a classmate here who looks almost exactly like Chalice Chick. They even have the same voice. This is the most interesting thing about my class.

Comments

4 Responses to “Death in a Classroom”

Ms. Theologian on February 1st, 2008 4:41 pm

You know, I had a very expensive education, and it is stunning how bad some of the teaching was. Sometime after, I took a bunch of master’s courses in education, and thought this sort of thing should be required for every professor.
hafidha sofia on February 1st, 2008 4:50 pm

One would think knowing how to facilitate a conversation would be tops on the list of skills a university professor with a PhD would have. I might expect this or forgive this from a professor of mathematics or chemistry (though that would also be unnecessary), but it seems unacceptable for a history class on such a relevant, living subject.
laura on February 1st, 2008 7:30 pm

Absolutely, a poorly-facilitated history class is unacceptable!! I am so sorry you have had to put up with that… teaching (history especially) should be an entertaining and exciting experience and should stimulate the *participant* (not listener) to think and join into the conversation.

Good heavens. I *can’t wait* for you to be teaching, too! You’ll be *great*!
hafidha sofia on February 1st, 2008 8:31 pm

Laura - The funny thing is I wasn’t even interested in teaching! But this class is seriously making me wonder, “Why not?” Goddamn. I’m so aggravated. I left class an hour early cuz I just couldn’t take it anymore. Unfortunately, there’s still 16 hours more. My heart sobs.