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anghraineOkay, so last term in my Tolkien class, I had this prof who is really old and disapproves of new-fangled things like secondary sources. She talked sort of disgustedly about how there wouldn't be any reading outside the texts themselves, no essays to write, nothing, because people have written these essays that are wrong and can be found on the Internet. Yeah.
So the only work was four quizzes consisting entirely of a single essay question to be written on a single sheet of paper over half an hour (so many flashbacks to high school :\) and a two hour final exam, until the end of class, when we had to write a letter about the class. Y'know, just reflecting on it and whatnot. So I mentioned the things that I thought were cool (it was a fun class!) and how it different from other Tolkien classes I've taken, and also mentioned that I thought the total lack of work was a bit odd - I mean, there are essays that are Wrong but that's what critical thinking is for, yeah? And there are essays that are (at least potentially) Right, too. (I put it more tactfully.)
And she responds with this long defensive e-mail about how, well, the other students liked the class (my entire group except me didn't...) and if I'd wanted an essay I could have asked for one (since when is schoolwork contingent on asking for it?) and it was obvious that I'd offended and/or hurt her and I felt really bad about it, and also worried about my grade. I got a B in the class, which is fine, but - yeah. But I'd never seen her before this and she's kind of low profile and untenured and everything, so I didn't figure I'd ever have to see her again so whatever.
Only I go into the English department this morning to pick something up and she's just standing there. And she just looks at me. And my brain was paralyzed so I didn't know what to say so I didn't say anything, and just stammered something out to the helpful desk lady.
Aswyncatastrophe would say: AND IT WAS AWKWARD.
So the only work was four quizzes consisting entirely of a single essay question to be written on a single sheet of paper over half an hour (so many flashbacks to high school :\) and a two hour final exam, until the end of class, when we had to write a letter about the class. Y'know, just reflecting on it and whatnot. So I mentioned the things that I thought were cool (it was a fun class!) and how it different from other Tolkien classes I've taken, and also mentioned that I thought the total lack of work was a bit odd - I mean, there are essays that are Wrong but that's what critical thinking is for, yeah? And there are essays that are (at least potentially) Right, too. (I put it more tactfully.)
And she responds with this long defensive e-mail about how, well, the other students liked the class (my entire group except me didn't...) and if I'd wanted an essay I could have asked for one (since when is schoolwork contingent on asking for it?) and it was obvious that I'd offended and/or hurt her and I felt really bad about it, and also worried about my grade. I got a B in the class, which is fine, but - yeah. But I'd never seen her before this and she's kind of low profile and untenured and everything, so I didn't figure I'd ever have to see her again so whatever.
Only I go into the English department this morning to pick something up and she's just standing there. And she just looks at me. And my brain was paralyzed so I didn't know what to say so I didn't say anything, and just stammered something out to the helpful desk lady.
As
wyncatastrophe would say: AND IT WAS AWKWARD.