I overheard Tammy, our department secretary, complaining to someone on Friday that the first week of class was a full week this term - which is unusual, and, in her estimation, cruel. I hadn't thought of it until then, but it does explain why Lauren and I have been so tired, actually physically dragging ourselves out of bed Friday morning for our 9:05 classes.
Maybe it was the fatigue, or maybe I've just been extremely efficient this long first week, but I believe by the end of the day Friday I had convinced at least half my students that I'm at least half mad. This is an important step in my pedagogical practice, or as I prefer to call it, corrupting the youth. As long as they continue to believe that I can be trusted, or that anything I say could be important, they won't get the point.
One handy way to achieve this I learned from my pal Jim "The Most Optimistic Freedom Family Restaurant Patron in America, in Charlotte" Williams: cussing. I don't mean (and I don't think he advocates) spewing a continuous stream of obscenity so much as being loose-tongued. It promotes a relaxed atmosphere, or undermines the conceit of my authority, or something. Anyway, I think it's a good idea occasionally to conclude class, as I did yesterday, by announcing something like "Now I'm going to IKEA, and there's not a damn thing you can do to stop me!"
Indeed we did go to IKEA, and indeed there wasn't a damn thing they could do to stop us. Mainly we just wanted to go out someplace for cheap thrills. Strolling IKEA provided. We also had need of a stand for the TV. IKEA provided. Halfway through the trip we were hungry. IKEA provided. I thought it'd be fun to get involved in a stampeding riot of cheap-furniture-crazed shoppers, but IKEA didn't provide.
I would like at some point to write about the IKEA experience. But today's agenda is already full.
Maybe it was the fatigue, or maybe I've just been extremely efficient this long first week, but I believe by the end of the day Friday I had convinced at least half my students that I'm at least half mad. This is an important step in my pedagogical practice, or as I prefer to call it, corrupting the youth. As long as they continue to believe that I can be trusted, or that anything I say could be important, they won't get the point.
One handy way to achieve this I learned from my pal Jim "The Most Optimistic Freedom Family Restaurant Patron in America, in Charlotte" Williams: cussing. I don't mean (and I don't think he advocates) spewing a continuous stream of obscenity so much as being loose-tongued. It promotes a relaxed atmosphere, or undermines the conceit of my authority, or something. Anyway, I think it's a good idea occasionally to conclude class, as I did yesterday, by announcing something like "Now I'm going to IKEA, and there's not a damn thing you can do to stop me!"
Indeed we did go to IKEA, and indeed there wasn't a damn thing they could do to stop us. Mainly we just wanted to go out someplace for cheap thrills. Strolling IKEA provided. We also had need of a stand for the TV. IKEA provided. Halfway through the trip we were hungry. IKEA provided. I thought it'd be fun to get involved in a stampeding riot of cheap-furniture-crazed shoppers, but IKEA didn't provide.
I would like at some point to write about the IKEA experience. But today's agenda is already full.
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