OK. I know it’s been awhile and that’s a lot less than I promised myself I would be in touch. But, if I kept a weekly journal about this class, it would consist of rants and raves about how much I dislike it. Do you like getting lectured to for three hours after putting in an eight-hour day of work? Didn’t think so. That’s basically what this class is. The first texbook sucks, is way too heavy AND my copy is a photocopy of the real book for which I paid $35. Some of the words within it that are close to the margins are missing and cut-off on certain pages. Those are the paragraphs I deem as unimportant and I skip right over them. Otherwise, I’m totally speed-reading the entire book and concentrating my weekly reaction papers on a very specific point, so whatever.
Each week, I come to class with some points for discussion and only get the same lecture. One week, I even show up with a couple of international news articles, which is assigned, and still can’t engage this class of lazy lazy girls. Two of ‘em sat in the back and texted during the entire class. Another couple of girls sit there and bang on their laptops and I’m sure they are not typing class notes. Very few people add to classroom discussion so there is none. Oh, wait. The only man in the class, who’s probably pushing 40, does all the talking with Nikolaev. And the man is Russian too so the two of them converse and still nobody can understand a blessed thing. By 8 p.m. each class, I am beside myself with boredom and I figit. I cannot just sit there in silence for three hours and listen to someone lecture in broken English. At this point, I take my second trip to the bathroom, check my messages on my cell phone, and when I return, I start writing my resume on a scrap paper and day dream.
You see how bad this sucks? I’m trying to be a dutiful student. I’m trying to participate, but it is very difficult to participate when the professor does not engage you. So, I’ll tell you with delight how I missed my last class period without a lick of guilt. I had to skip it to cover a school district meeting for the newspaper. I just couldn’t miss too many consecutive monthly meetings for this class. I mean, I am dedicated to learning and to writing for the newspaper, but something’s got to give sometimes. And where I missed class this month, I will miss my meeting next month. I was going to really behave myself and write my reaction paper anyway and deliver it to the professor on my way to the school board meeting. But the professors school mailbox wasn’t really on the way to my meeting, and the assigned chapters really pissed me off with their redundancies. I refused to finish the reading and to write the assignment.
And now, after a couple weeks, I think I am refreshed and ready to return to class. I will read the last two chapters of this boring, overwritten text and do my assignment. I will bring in international news items so that the professor and the other guy aren’t the only two to talk all night. I will also bring side work to get me through the class time and that’s pretty pitiful because I paid close to $3000 for this class and I’m not getting my money’s worth. I can’t wait to teach so that I can really help students improve their skills and abilities to communicate effectively.
