Commas, semicolons, citations (in correct form), scholarly reading and writing, writing, full stop.
All of the above do arouse anxiety in my students (sometimes with good cause, since they really haven't mastered them to nearly the degree they need to). But they're unavoidable, in the course, and, to a greater extent than many of them anticipate, in life.
So I do get his point. On the other hand, I'm convinced that demands for trigger warnings, nationwide, are considerably exaggerated in the press (and that most professors who use them know how to do so effectively). I also suspect that this particular professor is preaching to the choir: to some extent, the whole trigger warning panic seems like one more way for those in the hard sciences and other disciplines generally accepted to be especially difficult to look down on those in "softer" fields.
I have had a few Soldiers/Marines joke to about me proofing or reviewing their papers. "Satan" and "brutal" were the words often mentioned. In those cases I'll make a joke to put them at ease.
But in situations where I've had to give classes on sexual assault in the military--how to prevent it, how to intervene, how to respond, what constitutes assault, and why it's so devastating to victims (and how even using the term "victim" in the military can set people off). It's tough on people.
I kind of get what that science Prof was saying, as in, look, I can't deal with all you particular fears; I don't have the capability to, with the large class I have. You have it within yourselves to do this. On the other hand, during the sexual assault classes in the mil I gave I could see there were tough people in the audience (generally male and infantry) who were holding back tears. Maybe my presentation got through to them on some level. Maybe they knew someone who was assaulted, or maybe they themselves had been a victim, maybe as a kid, not a servicemember. I don't know. I usually asked the unit chaplain to be available beforehand so people could speak with him/her of they wanted to and told the audience beforehand the who the chaplain was if they wanted to speak with anyone privately.
But yes, I did start the class by saying we were going to discuss a tough but important topic and mentioned the chaplain (or other resource) would be available if anyone wanted to talk privately later or at the breaks, but I added that I have a difficult topic to instruct. And of course there were people who immediately complained (or asked in fairness) about victimology and the priviledge given to accusers.
I try to be flexible and decent always. I don't always succeed. But I have an issue when students say, Oh, I can't read that, it goes against my beliefs, it traumatizes me, it upsets me. Are they for real or do they not want to consider an idea that doesn't agree with their own? And they want a pass on the assignment. That gets me fired up.
Amazing coincidence: Trigger Warning appears in the most recent Bloom County. Berk Breathed rocks: https://www.facebook.com/berkeleybreathed/photos/a.114529165244512.10815.108793262484769/1287685541262196/?type=3&theater
He does, indeed. Thanks for the reminder to check in periodically for new content on his facebook page (though I think I'll probably buy his books as/when they come out, since facebook isn't really the ideal comic-following platform. Still, I'm grateful to have Bloom County back in any form, especially in times such as these, and especially with Doonesbury still on partial hiatus).
Really more of a trig warning.
ReplyDeleteYou beat me.
DeleteMaybe the two of you can cosine my course release?
DeleteYour tangent strikes a chord.
DeleteIt's easy to be snarky I guess when one is a full professor in Engineering at a SEC university AND a Professor Emeritus from an Ivy.
ReplyDeleteNow that's how to punch down.
ReplyDeleteYou all are trying to hard. Stop forcing it.
ReplyDeleteYou know, they make pills now for gents who are trying to hard.
DeleteCommas, semicolons, citations (in correct form), scholarly reading and writing, writing, full stop.
ReplyDeleteAll of the above do arouse anxiety in my students (sometimes with good cause, since they really haven't mastered them to nearly the degree they need to). But they're unavoidable, in the course, and, to a greater extent than many of them anticipate, in life.
So I do get his point. On the other hand, I'm convinced that demands for trigger warnings, nationwide, are considerably exaggerated in the press (and that most professors who use them know how to do so effectively). I also suspect that this particular professor is preaching to the choir: to some extent, the whole trigger warning panic seems like one more way for those in the hard sciences and other disciplines generally accepted to be especially difficult to look down on those in "softer" fields.
I have had a few Soldiers/Marines joke to about me proofing or reviewing their papers. "Satan" and "brutal" were the words often mentioned. In those cases I'll make a joke to put them at ease.
DeleteBut in situations where I've had to give classes on sexual assault in the military--how to prevent it, how to intervene, how to respond, what constitutes assault, and why it's so devastating to victims (and how even using the term "victim" in the military can set people off). It's tough on people.
I kind of get what that science Prof was saying, as in, look, I can't deal with all you particular fears; I don't have the capability to, with the large class I have. You have it within yourselves to do this. On the other hand, during the sexual assault classes in the mil I gave I could see there were tough people in the audience (generally male and infantry) who were holding back tears. Maybe my presentation got through to them on some level. Maybe they knew someone who was assaulted, or maybe they themselves had been a victim, maybe as a kid, not a servicemember. I don't know. I usually asked the unit chaplain to be available beforehand so people could speak with him/her of they wanted to and told the audience beforehand the who the chaplain was if they wanted to speak with anyone privately.
But yes, I did start the class by saying we were going to discuss a tough but important topic and mentioned the chaplain (or other resource) would be available if anyone wanted to talk privately later or at the breaks, but I added that I have a difficult topic to instruct. And of course there were people who immediately complained (or asked in fairness) about victimology and the priviledge given to accusers.
I try to be flexible and decent always. I don't always succeed. But I have an issue when students say, Oh, I can't read that, it goes against my beliefs, it traumatizes me, it upsets me. Are they for real or do they not want to consider an idea that doesn't agree with their own? And they want a pass on the assignment. That gets me fired up.
Amazing coincidence: Trigger Warning appears in the most recent Bloom County. Berk Breathed rocks:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/berkeleybreathed/photos/a.114529165244512.10815.108793262484769/1287685541262196/?type=3&theater
He does, indeed. Thanks for the reminder to check in periodically for new content on his facebook page (though I think I'll probably buy his books as/when they come out, since facebook isn't really the ideal comic-following platform. Still, I'm grateful to have Bloom County back in any form, especially in times such as these, and especially with Doonesbury still on partial hiatus).
Delete