Was teaching Act II and the Requiem to Death of a Salesman to my college lit class last night when one of my students suddenly left the room. Now, while I have been known to have that effect upon my students, this was one I knew really enjoyed my class; therefore, I was surprised when she left.
An hour and fifteen minutes later she returned and as the class was leaving, she asked to speak to me. She apologized for leaving and then reminded me that she had gone through a nasty divorce last semester. She showed me her phone with a picture on it and said that this was what she had been dealing with.
The picture? Her ex with a pistol pointed at his head! She said the police were on their way to his house and that she was headed there too. I told her to let me know what happened.
After that, another student came up and apologized for not getting an assignment in. Her reason-- her dad had been arrested for beating her mom so badly that the mom had to be hospitalized.
Where in the scheme of things does my class fit? Helps me keep things in perspective.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
"Let's eat, Grandma!" or "Let's eat Grandma!"-- Do punctuation and grammar really matter?
Warning: I am an old school grammarian. I love diagramming sentences, prefer essays be written in 3rd person, and almost had to re-take my English comps because I had a sentence fragment (a dependent clause standing by itself over two-thirds of the way through the examination). (I, also, do not like slanted fraction lines, but that is another story for another day.)
Two things recently caught my eye that spurred me to write this discourse. One is a Facebook webpage, Lets-eat-Grandma-or-Lets-eat-Grandma-Punctuation-saves-lives/276265851258?v=wall&ref=mf, a friend sent me the other day that inspired the title. The other source was my recent readings.
As I read more and more contemporary writing (fiction, non-fiction, blogs or internet articles), I am beginning to wonder if grammar and punctuation truly matter anymore. Sometimes I am not sure if the things I am reading have been edited and if they have, I wonder about the background of the editor. The rules of formal writing seem to be disappearing, though I think part of the issue is the desire to get the books to the market as quickly as possible.
(As I am writing this, I have been checking my Facebook page and I just noticed that one of my friends became a fan of this page-- "Blasting music when your pissed". I wonder what is pissed.)
In this e-mail/twitter world, the emphasis does not seem to be on form as much as it is on function, but is there any function in what is written?
I teach at the collegiate level and I find that my requirements for grammar and punctuation amaze many of my students. They tell me that few of their other instructors require them to be so precise. Is that because they do not (I even have a hard time using contractions) know any different, or they don't care? I'm not sure which is the case.
But the publishing world and the academic world are not the only places where this decline seems to be occurring. I also see it in the business world as well!
So, my question is this, does it matter anymore? Just as we have become more relaxed in our mode of dress, should we accept the relaxed attitude toward grammar and punctuation and just assume that we know what is attempting to be communicated? Do I need to change the way I teach?
(For those of you who still appreciate the fine points of grammar, check this link Grammar Girl, though she makes some concessions.)
Two things recently caught my eye that spurred me to write this discourse. One is a Facebook webpage, Lets-eat-Grandma-or-Lets-eat-Grandma-Punctuation-saves-lives/276265851258?v=wall&ref=mf, a friend sent me the other day that inspired the title. The other source was my recent readings.
As I read more and more contemporary writing (fiction, non-fiction, blogs or internet articles), I am beginning to wonder if grammar and punctuation truly matter anymore. Sometimes I am not sure if the things I am reading have been edited and if they have, I wonder about the background of the editor. The rules of formal writing seem to be disappearing, though I think part of the issue is the desire to get the books to the market as quickly as possible.
(As I am writing this, I have been checking my Facebook page and I just noticed that one of my friends became a fan of this page-- "Blasting music when your pissed". I wonder what is pissed.)
In this e-mail/twitter world, the emphasis does not seem to be on form as much as it is on function, but is there any function in what is written?
I teach at the collegiate level and I find that my requirements for grammar and punctuation amaze many of my students. They tell me that few of their other instructors require them to be so precise. Is that because they do not (I even have a hard time using contractions) know any different, or they don't care? I'm not sure which is the case.
But the publishing world and the academic world are not the only places where this decline seems to be occurring. I also see it in the business world as well!
So, my question is this, does it matter anymore? Just as we have become more relaxed in our mode of dress, should we accept the relaxed attitude toward grammar and punctuation and just assume that we know what is attempting to be communicated? Do I need to change the way I teach?
(For those of you who still appreciate the fine points of grammar, check this link Grammar Girl, though she makes some concessions.)
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
My Elephant Has a Motivation
Hard to believe it has been almost two weeks since the first posts. When I began this blog, I thought I had plenty of topics to write about--still think that, but then doubts began to set in as I read other bloggers. Am I writing too formally? Am I talking about things that people care about? And suddenly, I had paralysis. Then I thought, "Hey, throw things against the wall-- get the conversation going." As the Sundance Kid said to Butch Cassidy, "That's what you do best, Butch . . . ."
Events this past weekend have led me back to the tease in my first entry about a book I was previewing, Switch, by Chip and Dan Heath (Heath Brothers). Add the book I am currently re-reading, Donald Miller's A Million Miles in a Thousand Years ( Donald Miller), and the one I just finished, Francis Chan's Forgotten God ( Forgotten God ), to the mix and there are some interesting ingredients in this salad.
(Yes, my reading selections are, like me, all over the place. As I tell my college classes, I usually have 4 or 5 going at the same time. No, I am not ADD. Well, maybe.)
A crucial point in all 3 books-- What motivates us to change? The Heath's say that we have to find the emotion. Get that big elephant in our lives moving. Knowing something is not enough by itself. Miller? The desire to write a better story. The acknowledgment that "there is a writer outside ourselves, plotting a better story for us, interacting with us, even, and whispering a better story into our consciousness" (86). Chan? Listening to and daily following the Holy Spirit.
So what keeps us from changing? Pain and Fear. With change comes pain and we don't like pain. It is for that reason that abused women frequently return to the relationship in which they were abused-- it is safer than the alternative. We do the same thing-- look for the safe way.
And "fear"? Well, we all fear the unknown and change leads us into the unknown. But, as we have often been told, "Do not fear" is repeated more in scripture than any other commandment. Yet, as Chan reminds us, we tend to run from situations where we need God and that running away, Miller reflects, causes us to lead boring lives.
We want lives with a better story; we want lives with joy. To tell that better story and to achieve that joy, we must change. We must bear the pain. We must listen to and follow the Spirit that will guide us in the right paths. It will not lead us astray, but we must act now. We must surrender ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit today. We must get our elephant moving. God cares more about what we are doing today than what we will do next year.
As Chan says, it's "less demanding to think about God's will for your future than it is for us to ask Him what he wants you to do in the next ten minutes. It's safer to commit to Him someday instead of this day (120)."
If we want the better story and the joy that comes with it, we must commit to the here and now and recognize that the pain of change will last for only a short while and that the joy will last for a life-time. The events of this past weekend have started my elephant on the road to change.
Events this past weekend have led me back to the tease in my first entry about a book I was previewing, Switch, by Chip and Dan Heath (Heath Brothers). Add the book I am currently re-reading, Donald Miller's A Million Miles in a Thousand Years ( Donald Miller), and the one I just finished, Francis Chan's Forgotten God ( Forgotten God ), to the mix and there are some interesting ingredients in this salad.
(Yes, my reading selections are, like me, all over the place. As I tell my college classes, I usually have 4 or 5 going at the same time. No, I am not ADD. Well, maybe.)
A crucial point in all 3 books-- What motivates us to change? The Heath's say that we have to find the emotion. Get that big elephant in our lives moving. Knowing something is not enough by itself. Miller? The desire to write a better story. The acknowledgment that "there is a writer outside ourselves, plotting a better story for us, interacting with us, even, and whispering a better story into our consciousness" (86). Chan? Listening to and daily following the Holy Spirit.
So what keeps us from changing? Pain and Fear. With change comes pain and we don't like pain. It is for that reason that abused women frequently return to the relationship in which they were abused-- it is safer than the alternative. We do the same thing-- look for the safe way.
And "fear"? Well, we all fear the unknown and change leads us into the unknown. But, as we have often been told, "Do not fear" is repeated more in scripture than any other commandment. Yet, as Chan reminds us, we tend to run from situations where we need God and that running away, Miller reflects, causes us to lead boring lives.
We want lives with a better story; we want lives with joy. To tell that better story and to achieve that joy, we must change. We must bear the pain. We must listen to and follow the Spirit that will guide us in the right paths. It will not lead us astray, but we must act now. We must surrender ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit today. We must get our elephant moving. God cares more about what we are doing today than what we will do next year.
As Chan says, it's "less demanding to think about God's will for your future than it is for us to ask Him what he wants you to do in the next ten minutes. It's safer to commit to Him someday instead of this day (120)."
If we want the better story and the joy that comes with it, we must commit to the here and now and recognize that the pain of change will last for only a short while and that the joy will last for a life-time. The events of this past weekend have started my elephant on the road to change.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Why Spaghetti on the Wall?
For those of you who got the notification about this blog being titled "Random Digressions" only to find that is now "Spaghetti on the Wall", let me explain. Obviously, I don't know what I am doing. Just jumped right in to this blog thing, which is the way I do many things.
In a sense, my life and my thoughts are like the adage- "if you want to know if your spaghetti is done, throw some against the wall and see if it sticks." Well, that is what I do all of the time-- throw things against the wall to see if they stick-- ideas, plans, etc.
As a result, this space will be an amalgamation of thoughts and ideas-- some original, some not. Some I will believe in deeply and others I just throw out to stir the pot. Sometimes you will know where I stand; sometimes I won't give away my position.
What I hope to do is to help you be a life-long learner and develop your own personal learning network. I can see where social networking is good for that to some extent, but I realize now that this format is more effective.
You will see thoughts on business/economics, politics, education, technology, religion, humor, counseling and who knows what. I have recently been introduced to RSS feeds and as I result I am currently following almost 20 bloggers (You can see the list in my profile.) and that list will continue to grow as those people introduce me to more people.
It should be fun. So sit back and think. Let the scrutiny begin.
In a sense, my life and my thoughts are like the adage- "if you want to know if your spaghetti is done, throw some against the wall and see if it sticks." Well, that is what I do all of the time-- throw things against the wall to see if they stick-- ideas, plans, etc.
As a result, this space will be an amalgamation of thoughts and ideas-- some original, some not. Some I will believe in deeply and others I just throw out to stir the pot. Sometimes you will know where I stand; sometimes I won't give away my position.
What I hope to do is to help you be a life-long learner and develop your own personal learning network. I can see where social networking is good for that to some extent, but I realize now that this format is more effective.
You will see thoughts on business/economics, politics, education, technology, religion, humor, counseling and who knows what. I have recently been introduced to RSS feeds and as I result I am currently following almost 20 bloggers (You can see the list in my profile.) and that list will continue to grow as those people introduce me to more people.
It should be fun. So sit back and think. Let the scrutiny begin.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Preparing for Who Knows What
I was at a technology conference this week where David Warlick (http://www.davidwarlick.com/) was the guest speaker. This was my second time to hear him in less than a year and each time I have walked away excited and inspired, but also filled with a sense of angst as he talks about technology and its use in the school setting.
The first time I heard him, I had no idea what he was talking about-- Web 2.0, back channels, and more. I was texting my oldest son, Alex, a recent college grad, as fast as I could (I had not figured out T9 then) to get definitions. Didn't dare open my laptop. Was afraid I couldn't figure out how to connect to the local network.
(As an aside, I am part of the generation that grew up doing computer programming with punch cards. I helped install the first computer lab in the College of Education at Texas Tech in the early 80's. We installed Radio Shack TRS-80's, Apples, and Commodore 64's with turtle graphics!)
This time, however, it was different. I knew the direction he was going and this time I was able to sit back and reflect on what he was saying. As a high school counselor and college English instructor, I have been struck both times by Warlick's contention that we are preparing our students for a world that is indescribable. What will the work world look like in the next 10 or 20 years? What will the classroom look like in that same time span?
Textbooks are becoming obsolete and well they should. Science books still tell students that Pluto is a planet. Information is growing at a phenomenal rate and people need access to it. The old ways are dying and many of the people who are teaching the new generation are still bound by tradition. The time has come to move on.
Two elements that Warlick emphasizes are the need to develop life-long learners and personal learning networks. By doing so, we will create a "literacy" that will allow people to explore what’s true, employ information, and express ideas compellingly.
That is the world the youth of today are moving in to-- a world where paper and pencil are not the means of communication, where people do not have phones in their home or desktop computers! But, what that world will look like no one truly knows.
So, what are we preparing our students for? Who knows, but it will be very different from the world I was educated in and the world I am educating students in today.
Change is inevitable, but how to change is a topic for another day.
I will leave you a hint though-- Chip and Dan Heath- Switch
The first time I heard him, I had no idea what he was talking about-- Web 2.0, back channels, and more. I was texting my oldest son, Alex, a recent college grad, as fast as I could (I had not figured out T9 then) to get definitions. Didn't dare open my laptop. Was afraid I couldn't figure out how to connect to the local network.
(As an aside, I am part of the generation that grew up doing computer programming with punch cards. I helped install the first computer lab in the College of Education at Texas Tech in the early 80's. We installed Radio Shack TRS-80's, Apples, and Commodore 64's with turtle graphics!)
This time, however, it was different. I knew the direction he was going and this time I was able to sit back and reflect on what he was saying. As a high school counselor and college English instructor, I have been struck both times by Warlick's contention that we are preparing our students for a world that is indescribable. What will the work world look like in the next 10 or 20 years? What will the classroom look like in that same time span?
Textbooks are becoming obsolete and well they should. Science books still tell students that Pluto is a planet. Information is growing at a phenomenal rate and people need access to it. The old ways are dying and many of the people who are teaching the new generation are still bound by tradition. The time has come to move on.
Two elements that Warlick emphasizes are the need to develop life-long learners and personal learning networks. By doing so, we will create a "literacy" that will allow people to explore what’s true, employ information, and express ideas compellingly.
That is the world the youth of today are moving in to-- a world where paper and pencil are not the means of communication, where people do not have phones in their home or desktop computers! But, what that world will look like no one truly knows.
So, what are we preparing our students for? Who knows, but it will be very different from the world I was educated in and the world I am educating students in today.
Change is inevitable, but how to change is a topic for another day.
I will leave you a hint though-- Chip and Dan Heath- Switch
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