Hey, Megan, Travis: keep in touch you guys! Meg, there’s some teacher stuff I wanna ask you. ChristopherGrimm@aol.com

To everyone, it’s been a pleasure working working with you! Keep in touch if you will. Have an excellent summer, all!

You’re awesome, “MO;” keep in touch!

P.S. Happy Mother’s Day to Jo, and any of the other moms in class.

Either you guys a.) Really didn’t like my post this week. b.) are all waiting for something more “interesting”( Where ARE the other two posts? Were we not supposed to post? Did I miss a “message?”), or c.) None of the above! It’s cool, fellow ENG 703ers; It’s almost over! Let’s dialogue about ANY of […]

I like how Travis puts that; Wikipedia is “an entry-level step into the realms of a subject.” True! Wikipedia is a stepping-stone for intellectual curiosity. It’s existence is definitely a good thing, certainly for those students (and everyday “wonderers”), who don’t–or never would-have access to an encyclopedia at home (before the Internet…[Read more]

It’s okay to be critical, Megan. We WANT our students to have questions and not be force-fed everything, right? I respect your opinion and your concerns. In fact, I worry about the same thing; ARE today’s students too over-stimulated? (Honest question: how many of our classmates freak out if they don’t receive a text message […]

P.S. To my classmates, I’m sorry for my late post. I’ve been battling the dual villains of stomach illness and family obligation this week. Thank you for your understanding. I’m especially sorry to last week’s presenter, whom I missed, and this week’s presenter, who has to contend with very late class participation this week. Apologies […]

Thanks, Megan. Very good essay! What is our test-driven culture coming to–Ms. Collins gives us one lamentable possibility.

This goes back to the old adage, “Administrators want robots in the classroom, not real people.” Well, we see that this is clearly not true, hmm? However, the very fact that these robo-graders have been piloted is scary to me. Granted, grading essays is an arduous, time-consuming, sometimes infuriating, task. However, as the first article […]

Victoria, right on! However, I disagree with you on one minor point; “Occupy Wall Street” didn’t start the conversation which shifted the American public’s perspective about the financial industry. Enron’s very public disgrace, bank mergers from the late 1980’s through today, the fluctuations of the Stock Market system, and even events as far back as […]

I agree with you, Professor. I am glad we are questioning behind what is included in these so-called Standards. I especially like how Lil Brannon was questioning WHO creates these standards. Her article was very politically-tinged. I felt like I was reading a teacher’s union propaganda newsletter at points. Despite the tone of Brannon’s article, […]

First, I want to apologize to Dana, or whomever is presenting this week, for this comment being so very late. Second, I agree with you Victoria on your summary and assessment of Lil Brannon’s article. Students must be encouraged to challenge and refute what they are taught–and , especially, those ideas which counteract what they […]

I heard about this, Professor. Completely ridiculous. Apparently, the question was recycled from another state’s standardized exam, too! And to think, we want our students to read critically. How about the test makers, hmm?
(No offense to those in our cohort who work for test makers, like the College Board!)

I agree with Rachel, Guadalupe and Dana with various points of your post, Travis. First, from the bottom to the top. Rachel’s comment about the last paragraph is insightful, because it resonates with me, as well. Grades SHOULD be the final word on academic performance (cue Peter Elbow supporters attacking me in “3, 2, 1…”), […]