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Something Curious… Elka Veselinova “O sancta simplicitas!” Have you heard the joke about the student X, who always wrote “I have went” instead of “I have gone”. In order to make him remember the correct form, the teacher Y made him write 100 times “I have gone”. After finishing, the student left the following note: Dear teacher, I’ve written 100 times “I have gone” and now I have went home. So, what’s the moral? It’s absolutely meaningless and useless to write one and the same thing numerous times. However, American teachers do not think so. They make students write long and boring sentences at least 10 times. There are sentences, suitable for different offenses: copying someone’s work, not meeting the deadlines, arguing with a teacher, not taking down video notes, talking at inappropriate time in class, not working in class, not being prepared with the necessary books and materials. Here are some of these sentences: If I were to be transported back in time to the Middle Ages, then the crime of which I have been found guilty, to wit, copying another’s work, could conceivably fall under the heading of monkly pursuits, as the production of illuminated manuscripts and such were considered a legitimate, and even noble pursuit – unlike the heinous offense to which I sorrowfully plead guilty. 2. My continual procrastination in the face of detailed timelines and continual reminders has left me, at this juncture, without any productive activity to engage in during this class time; in the future, I will strenuously endeavor to stay focused on the object at hand in these situations, to wit, keeping up with major projects and hitting my deadlines with unerring accuracy. 3.To my great shame and sorrow I find that I have indulged myself in the reprehensible pastime of arguing with my teacher, knowing full well that this is not only disrespectful, but a waste of time for my teacher, myself, and the entire class. 4. My failure to take full advantage of the cinematic experience offered me today, due, in no small part, to my inability to refrain from oral discourse with my adjacent seatmates, has resulted in my missing what may well turn out to be a key learning opportunity. 5. My inability to control my impulsivity, specifically with regard to speaking out at inappropriate times, is an area of my school life that I am determined to change for the better. 6. I have recently become painfully aware of my inadequacies in the area of independent work and have firmly resolved to lay a behavioral foundation that will support a gleaming tower of academic achievement.
7. My lack of forethought and preparation for class is a hideous deviation from class expectations, for which I accept full responsibility; furthermore, in the future, I will strenuously endeavor to arrive at my academic destination in full possession of all necessary books and / or materials.
If you are curious to see how “student work” looks like, have a look at: http://picasaweb.google.com/elka.veselinova64/SchoolRules
Picasa Óåá Àëáóìè - Elka - School Rules
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