Flip Side of Teaching

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"...In my college days, I had a professor of history, who said,

'It's a pity you have failed. If you didn't know the answer, you could have written any answer you knew; if you didn't know anything of the subject, you could have copied the question paper. If you couldn't do even that, you could have told me and I would have given you marks.'

'I didn't know you were an examiner, sir'.

'What a pity, they ought not to keep it a secret.. All our troubles are due to it. After all you have listened to my lectures for a year and that's enough.'

I had another professor from Scotland who taught us English; an enlightened soul, who marked a minimum of 35% on all papers, and raised it on request. He was accessible, and amenable to reason and even to bargaining. He would ask, 'What marks do you expect to get?'

'Sixty, sir'. He would pick up the answer paper, glance through it, shake his head ruefully. 'I have given you the minimum of course, but I'll raise it to 40.'

'Sir, please make it 52. I want at least a second class.'

'All right. I hope your interest in literature is genuine'.

'Undoubtedly.'

Oh, but for this noble soul, I'd never have passed in English..."

......RKN in My Educational Outlook.

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It just happens that my Educational Outlook at IIT KGP coincides with RKN's.

In their third year, Indra's batch was very enthusiastic about my 'Elementary QM' Course. And they gave me a fantastic feedback in prose, poetry and drama.

So I thought I should set a good question paper in their Endsem.

The whole class trooped into my room after the exam and gheraoed me. And said unanimously that the paper was phenomenally tough and lengthy and asked me to raise their grades by one level...i.e. B ---> A.

I raised them by two; since there was no legitimate A.

Here is a list of the sidekick functions of a Teacher in increasing order of unpleasantness:

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1. Roll Call:

I used to take attendance at the beginning of every class since the time spent in the exercise helps to dampen the evil effects of their earlier class and helps them to settle down for the next onslaught. When the class strength was less than 25, I was able to match the names and the faces. When it reached 60, I still took the Roll Call with my head down since I liked to get familiar with the names of my students. When it rose to 150 then 250 and then 350, I just didn't bother. The Dean asked me if I didn't take even spot-attendance (meaning by surprise). I said never. When he cited the practices of the other departments, I asked him: "Why do you want an unwilling student in your class? He will be a nuisance." He fell silent.

But there was this curious student in one of my Jumbo Classes who insisted towards the end of the semester that I should have taken attendance, since he was thoroughly regular. I told him that there are no marks for attendance.

He fainted...

2. Papersetting

When I used to set an easy paper, IITians would spread the word that gps is a funk. When I set an original paper, they gheraoed me for raising their grades. By and by I decided it is best to set the same paper in all years with data changed. Everyone was happy.

3. Invigilation

To Heaven With It...it was just policing, a job I detest. And it was counterproductive, to say the least. 3 hours of unremitting boredom...

4. Evaluation of Scripts

By weight....

5. Grand Viva

I never faced one at my University and I guess I am ok. I never saw why it should be forced on unwilling students. It should be made optional, with no credits...Let the masochists and sadists have their pleasant get-together and leave me alone.

6. Reco

This is a malevolent instrument of torture for the Giver and Taker devised by Evil. I never had to beg for a Reco and I guess I am ok. It should be abolished forthwith.

The post: Reco Mela - 2

http://gpsastry.blogspot.com/2010/08/reco-mela-2.html

has taken a thousand hits.

QED

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