I seriously don't understand people who complain here. What the fuck? As long as I've been coming here there have been people, some who are longtime contributors, who bitch about all sorts of things. I would not have the strength to run the page even with half the little bitchy protests.
I'm used to it, but it was daunting at first when I started the page MORE than 6 years ago. I actually understand criticism that occasionally comes in through the email: "How about if we tried this?" That sort of thing.
But open comment dismissiveness doesn't do much for my interest in addressing whatever the problem is. Somebody sent me this picture with that text. So it's up. I didn't have anything else to put up. It seemed like it was sort of on target, that amazing feeling when you realize you don't have to teach today!!!
As for the other things, the memes, the photos with texts, the "funny" ones or not so funny. Well, do better than that then, or don't tune in at all.
For whatever reason lately I haven't even registered when someone is annoyed.
"For whatever reason lately I haven't even registered when someone is annoyed." - that is probably just nerve accommodation. The constancy of the stimulation leads to its exclusion from our sensory processing. :)
I've been finding the same thing lately with students: I'm remembering less and less which ones were annoyed, and why (I guess that falls in the category of registering/not registering). That's one result, I think, of having taught too many sections of the same class for too long; it all does seem to run together after a while (probably also true of moderating a blog which has its cycles).
In fact, I'm now consciously trying to take note of the "squeaky wheels" (especially those who have legitimate, easily addressed complaints -- e.g. they happened to end up at the end of the grading/commenting queue on an assignment where they would have benefited from earlier feedback), because there are, in fact, fairly few of them, and, especially in a class with a lot of group work, they can affect the group mood/dynamics (they can also, of course, affect student evaluations, but I try not to think too much about those; that way madness lies).
I don't think the same applies to CM, though, where nobody has paid for the RGM's services, and nobody has the right to expect anything at all, including the continued existence of the blog (and anybody can contribute the kind of content they think should appear). For that reason, I really wish people wouldn't complain at all. If they insist on doing so, may the complaints roll off the RGM like water off the duck's back.
To me, too, this looks like a mashup of people I've gone to school/camp and/or taught with (though one person I'm thinking of didn't have that beard yet when I knew him at camp; that came later). The main clue that it's a recent picture is the mustachios; those were apparently borrowed from my great-grandfather. Based on my experience, he could be anything from a herpetologist to an English proffie.
And yes, he looks like the sort of jolly, well-liked, quite possibly genuinely effective colleague who somehow gets away with stuff like canceling Friday classes (or maybe it was just this one? for a good reason? I hope so, because I think I'd rather like him, and would like to respect him as well).
Dude actually looks kind of like me, except I've not kept a beard since the red turned white, and my moustache was never styled so handlebarry.
I've cancelled a Friday class to attend a professional society meeting. The students had scaffolded group projects to work on, and they were to use the class time accordingly. The next week, I conferenced with groups at mutually agreeable times outside the normal class times, so it's not like contact hours suffered. But I can still imagine panicking because I haven't prepped the next lecture, then remembering everything's OK.
Looks like a somewhat scary mix of John Denver & Bill Bryson.
ReplyDeleteWish you'd give up on the endless attempts at memes. They are never funny.
ReplyDeleteSays you.
DeleteI laughed! Looks very much like one of my colleagues...
ReplyDeleteI seriously don't understand people who complain here. What the fuck? As long as I've been coming here there have been people, some who are longtime contributors, who bitch about all sorts of things. I would not have the strength to run the page even with half the little bitchy protests.
ReplyDeleteI'm used to it, but it was daunting at first when I started the page MORE than 6 years ago. I actually understand criticism that occasionally comes in through the email: "How about if we tried this?" That sort of thing.
DeleteBut open comment dismissiveness doesn't do much for my interest in addressing whatever the problem is. Somebody sent me this picture with that text. So it's up. I didn't have anything else to put up. It seemed like it was sort of on target, that amazing feeling when you realize you don't have to teach today!!!
As for the other things, the memes, the photos with texts, the "funny" ones or not so funny. Well, do better than that then, or don't tune in at all.
For whatever reason lately I haven't even registered when someone is annoyed.
"For whatever reason lately I haven't even registered when someone is annoyed." - that is probably just nerve accommodation. The constancy of the stimulation leads to its exclusion from our sensory processing. :)
DeleteI've been finding the same thing lately with students: I'm remembering less and less which ones were annoyed, and why (I guess that falls in the category of registering/not registering). That's one result, I think, of having taught too many sections of the same class for too long; it all does seem to run together after a while (probably also true of moderating a blog which has its cycles).
DeleteIn fact, I'm now consciously trying to take note of the "squeaky wheels" (especially those who have legitimate, easily addressed complaints -- e.g. they happened to end up at the end of the grading/commenting queue on an assignment where they would have benefited from earlier feedback), because there are, in fact, fairly few of them, and, especially in a class with a lot of group work, they can affect the group mood/dynamics (they can also, of course, affect student evaluations, but I try not to think too much about those; that way madness lies).
I don't think the same applies to CM, though, where nobody has paid for the RGM's services, and nobody has the right to expect anything at all, including the continued existence of the blog (and anybody can contribute the kind of content they think should appear). For that reason, I really wish people wouldn't complain at all. If they insist on doing so, may the complaints roll off the RGM like water off the duck's back.
To me, too, this looks like a mashup of people I've gone to school/camp and/or taught with (though one person I'm thinking of didn't have that beard yet when I knew him at camp; that came later). The main clue that it's a recent picture is the mustachios; those were apparently borrowed from my great-grandfather. Based on my experience, he could be anything from a herpetologist to an English proffie.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, he looks like the sort of jolly, well-liked, quite possibly genuinely effective colleague who somehow gets away with stuff like canceling Friday classes (or maybe it was just this one? for a good reason? I hope so, because I think I'd rather like him, and would like to respect him as well).
Fab, man, you gotta not give a shit. You're not as old as me. You'll get there.
ReplyDeleteDude actually looks kind of like me, except I've not kept a beard since the red turned white, and my moustache was never styled so handlebarry.
ReplyDeleteI've cancelled a Friday class to attend a professional society meeting. The students had scaffolded group projects to work on, and they were to use the class time accordingly. The next week, I conferenced with groups at mutually agreeable times outside the normal class times, so it's not like contact hours suffered. But I can still imagine panicking because I haven't prepped the next lecture, then remembering everything's OK.