137 Words
I?m considering engaging in a little teacherly fun this semester. For a long time now, I?ve been using strange tactics to get students to become aware of how they have to make choices when they write--whether or not they are conscious of these choices. So here?s what I?m considering: 137 words. I give them an assignment (anything, really) and they have to write me exactly 137 words in response. I may even at a future date apply this to longer assignments (write me 1,000 words. No more; no less). Is this mean? Sure. Is this cruel and unusual? Without a doubt. But it will, at the very least, force them to confront the process of their writing.
Anyone care to respond? Using exactly 137 words?
Cheers,
Scott
(By the way, this entry is exactly 137 words.)
Anyone care to respond? Using exactly 137 words?
Cheers,
Scott
(By the way, this entry is exactly 137 words.)
Comments
End passage.
Cool. I like it. Maybe as a special kind of assignment, rather than as a rule on a regular assignment. And I'd suggest having them e-mail you their papers so you can check the number of words electronically rather than counting them.
I think people like limitations like that. Like writing a haiku or even a traditional sonnet in iambic pentameter. It's kind of fun to see if you can make something meaningful with strict limitations.
when the springtime has arrived
have them do haiku
Originally posted by shetline
for another task
when the springtime has arrived
have them do haiku
If I taught creative writing, I would. (sorry this isn't not 137 words...I'm in a bit of a time crunch)
Cheers
Scott
Originally posted by midwinter
If I taught creative writing, I would. (sorry this isn't not 137 words...I'm in a bit of a time crunch)
Cheers
Scott
I was thinking about the haiku, and forgot all about trying to answer using one hundred thirty seven words. (I?m spelling my numbers out to help diffuse any potential arguments over how many words a number represents.)
Anyway, for forgetting about the one hundred thirty seven words I?m very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very sorry.
Oh in case you were wondering, professors suck, but I don?t really hate all of them, just the ones that I had.
Originally posted by shetline
for another task
when the springtime has arrived
have them do haiku
I thought about this
One hundred thirty seven
Seventeen won't fit
Originally posted by HOM
You?re the reason that students hate school and their teachers or professors. Making up asinine assignments just to torment these kids is not what education is about. Professors are by far the worst of the bunch. They think that because they wasted their money on some piece of paper entitles them to a superiority complex. All they do is take out their frustration from being shat upon by professors and review boards on their students. The last thing a professor wants is original thought. They would much rather have their students regurgitate the same shit that they have been spewing for years so that they can feel better about all that wasted time and money.
Oh in case you were wondering, professors suck, but I don?t really hate all of them, just the ones that I had.
I should also point out that the 137 words must be grammatically correct.
Cheers
Scott
Originally posted by midwinter
I should also point out that the 137 words must be grammatically correct.
Cheers
Scott
Originally posted by BR
You should make them use 137 UNIQUE words.
Ouch! That is evil.
That will only end in eggs
on your vehicle.
Screed
I think the students will hate you for it, and it will give them no benefit whatsoever in their life.
I think you've just described Trig.
Originally posted by Ganondorf
I think it's a stupid idea, personally. I think the students will hate you for it, and it will give them no benefit whatsoever in their life.
Learning to think carefully about word choices most certainly can be a benefit in one's life. Even an artificially imposed constraint, like a length of 137 words, can help open students up to that process.
Just do your job and process them through.
Now there's a sad, bleak outlook on what a teacher is supposed to do. This isn't stamping out license plates or shearing sheep you know, it's teaching he's talking about.
Originally posted by Ganondorf
Yeah I guess I just assumed he taught high school or some intro English class, since he didn't specify.
Seen in the light of the above assumption, "Just do your job and process them through" is somehow supposed to sound better?
Originally posted by Ganondorf
Just do your job and process them through.
You... haven't graduated high school yet, have you, Ganondorf?
That's really a sad commentary.
I think it's a great idea, myself, but it has to sold to the students carefully. I do this in my programming classes. "OK, this week, see how concise you can make your code without losing readability." "Alright, this week play around with minimizing the number of methods in each class, but keep it at least three."
You'd be surprised at how innovative some students can be. I never make it a hard requirement, but they do get extra credit if they write up a discussion on what they tried and what they learned.
Rote memorization is useless.