'It's strange,' said the Physio, 'because the rest of the time you are such a nice, kind person. But when you are marking, you just won't give your students the benefit of the doubt'.
I suppose this is true. Although if I'm inclined towards a mark of 59% and there’s half a possibility it could become a 60%, then I’ll give 60%. (This would move the students up from 2.2 into the 2.1 bracket). I did this with a dissertation last week. In fact, I had to argue the second marker up to 60%. But with my current first year students, who are struggling to get out of the 40s, no, I'm not inclined to magic them up to 50%. For some of them, I struggle to give a passing mark of 40%. And, unlike some other institutions, there is no pressure at Naval City University to pass a failing student. If they fail, then it's unfortunate, but they do fail.
I want them to do well. And I am fully prepared to go out of my way to help them, if they seek help. I have written in to the unit I am co-ordinating this semester three seminars on approaching different parts of the exam so that when they are finally assessed, they have already had some formative feedback (the unit mark is based wholly on one examination – this would not have been my choice of assessment, but I inherited the unit). So, offer help, I will. But I don’t think that giving students good marks for poor work will help them. I actually think that picking them up on poor spelling, grammar, punctuation and paragraphing, and on woolly thinking and sloppy argument, whilst they are in the first year and their marks don't count, is the kindest thing I can do. They might then learn from their mistakes in time to put them right before the marks really do start to count. I think they have been allowed to 'get away with' such errors for too long at school, and in allowing this, their schools (and the exam boards at GCSE and A level) have let them down very badly. I don't intend to let them down in this way, if I can help it.
Naval City University gives students a compulsory unit in Study Skills for University in which we teach them how to approach writing essays, but it is a unit some students do not take seriously. They think they already know how to do it because they got a B for A level (in some cases an A!). Many of those students didn't pass the unit.
I don't expect students to be thinking and writing at first class university level when they first arrive – those are skills they develop throughout their three years at university – but they should be able to write coherent sentences. The students whose essays I fail can't do this. They really struggle to express themselves. And now they are being marked on the 'whole piece of work' – what and how they write – rather than what I think they ought to be trying to say, their marks have fallen substantially, and many of them really struggle to understand why.
On one level, it might be considered kind of me to massage their marks so they don’t fail. But I think this sort of 'kindness' is why so many of them are genuinely surprised – and distressed – by their low marks. If they get good marks for poor work, they won't try to improve it. I'm sure that they are bright young people, but they need to learn how to express their ideas coherently, not just in order to get a 2.1 degree, but so that after university they can make themselves clearly understood, present a coherent argument at business meetings, or – if they go into teaching – teach children how to write well to avoid perpetuating this cycle.
Giving a fair, but sometimes low, mark for their work and giving feedback explaining how to do it better is the only way to encourage improvement. University is about more than just producing the 'right answer' to get the top marks, and I think I would be failing in my job if I don't at least try to help them to think, and express themselves, more clearly.
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Beautiful Beliefs (1)
Amy Palko has started a group writing project called Beautiful Beliefs, in which she offers a post every Wednesday that begins with ‘I believe that...’ and invites others to write posts about their beliefs and share through her site.
So, here goes:
I believe that....
Sharing what we believe can be difficult. I am, now, tentative about writing this post and offering it to the web for others to see, read and comment on. This is not because I don’t have firmly held beliefs, or that I feel that my beliefs are objectionable or offensive, but because I don’t expect other people to share them. I am vegetarian because I believe that cows and pigs are no different from dogs, cats, rabbits, and since we don’t have to eat meat to survive, killing animals for food (or to breed them in poor conditions in order to keep stocks high) is unnecessary. But, I don’t think that everyone else should have to be vegetarian if they do not share my belief. I don’t like getting into debates over vegetarianism, not because I believe I am wrong, but because I don’t believe that I can or should tell my omnivore friends what they ought to have in their diet. I don’t feel a need to convert them to my point of view.
This is why I find sharing these sorts of beliefs difficult. My beliefs are not theirs, and theirs are not mine.
I believe in God, but I am not out to convert atheists, agnostics, or convince those of other religions that my God is the one and only. Maybe He isn’t. Maybe in other religions He is called something else, or has many faces / incarnations. I do not mean here to exclude those with spirituality outside of religion, either. I believe that belief - faith - like this is personal, not corporate or competitive, and that we should allow each other to go on in own our faith/beliefs, as long as these do not hurt other people.
I wish people would not challenge me on my beliefs, not because they are shaky, but because it requires me to respond in kind – to challenge theirs in an attempt to persuade them to my way of thinking.
There are, of course, exceptions to this sort of relativism (practices which cause any sort of pain to other people, for example) but for the most part, I believe that openness and acceptance of difference would make the world a happier place.
Amy’s writing circle invites us to share our beliefs and to connect, leave comments, and lend support to each other in what makes us ourselves. I think this is a wonderful idea. A place to share beliefs without pressing them or overtly challenging others - to discuss without judgment. I love and respect Amy’s warmth and openness and will try, every week, to share a bit of what I believe.
So, here goes:
I believe that....
Sharing what we believe can be difficult. I am, now, tentative about writing this post and offering it to the web for others to see, read and comment on. This is not because I don’t have firmly held beliefs, or that I feel that my beliefs are objectionable or offensive, but because I don’t expect other people to share them. I am vegetarian because I believe that cows and pigs are no different from dogs, cats, rabbits, and since we don’t have to eat meat to survive, killing animals for food (or to breed them in poor conditions in order to keep stocks high) is unnecessary. But, I don’t think that everyone else should have to be vegetarian if they do not share my belief. I don’t like getting into debates over vegetarianism, not because I believe I am wrong, but because I don’t believe that I can or should tell my omnivore friends what they ought to have in their diet. I don’t feel a need to convert them to my point of view.
This is why I find sharing these sorts of beliefs difficult. My beliefs are not theirs, and theirs are not mine.
I believe in God, but I am not out to convert atheists, agnostics, or convince those of other religions that my God is the one and only. Maybe He isn’t. Maybe in other religions He is called something else, or has many faces / incarnations. I do not mean here to exclude those with spirituality outside of religion, either. I believe that belief - faith - like this is personal, not corporate or competitive, and that we should allow each other to go on in own our faith/beliefs, as long as these do not hurt other people.
I wish people would not challenge me on my beliefs, not because they are shaky, but because it requires me to respond in kind – to challenge theirs in an attempt to persuade them to my way of thinking.
There are, of course, exceptions to this sort of relativism (practices which cause any sort of pain to other people, for example) but for the most part, I believe that openness and acceptance of difference would make the world a happier place.
Amy’s writing circle invites us to share our beliefs and to connect, leave comments, and lend support to each other in what makes us ourselves. I think this is a wonderful idea. A place to share beliefs without pressing them or overtly challenging others - to discuss without judgment. I love and respect Amy’s warmth and openness and will try, every week, to share a bit of what I believe.
Recurring Dreams
I have a recurring dream. It is not always exactly the same setting, or exactly the same ending to the narrative, but there have now been 3 variations on the theme: I'm pregnant, but I don't have the baby. (Family and friends, this is not a disguised announcement; those who don't know me, I don't have any children.)
In the first one, I was very heavily pregnant and there were lots of people - friends, family, people I don't know - gathered in a room. I don't remember why. They were all talking to me and very excited about the imminent arrival of the baby, though. I walked into a different room (it became a chapel) and went into labour. I went to the hospital, but there was no baby. Apparently, there had never been one. I just sort of physically 'deflated'. I was very confused; I was absolutely sure there had been. I had felt its weight. I went back to the gathering. Everyone was very disappointed, and many of them thought I'd lied to them - made it up - and now they didn't want anything to do with me.
The second one I don't remember quite so clearly. I remember that I was pregnant and went into labour and then everything just stopped. It didn't disappear, like the first one, but I didn't get any further in having it. I just went home, still pregnant.
In the third one - last night's dream - again, I was heavily pregnant. I thought I had gone into labour. I went to a hospital, got to a nurses' station and then it stopped. A false alarm. 'These things happen', said the nurse, and away we went. Then we (a group of friends, though not all people I know in my waking life) seemed to be on holiday, and we went to eat in the breakfast room of the Bed and Breakfast. It was upstairs on a sort of mezzane level, but the decoration was like a country cottage kitchen. There were only chairs around one (longer) side of a fairly large oval table. There was one empty seat and too many of us, so I said someone else could have the seat instead of me. I said I wasn't very comfortable sitting anyway, and I wandered around a for a while, snacking. I set off down the stairs again and went into labour - not a false alarm this time. No attempt to get to a hospital, and there was no doubt that there actually was a baby, but despite my best efforts and the support of a friend, I couldn't push it out. I kept trying and trying, and the effort was exhausting and painful (I was watching myself shaking with the effort, and could see my face reddening) but it wasn't going to leave my body.
I think I must have left the dream then, because I can't remember any more beyond that, but I'm not surprised I was extremely tired when the Physio brought me a cup of tea to wake me up this morning.
Whilst there is the possibility that these dreams might in some way be related to a desire to have children at some point, I doubt that the surface story is the real meaning of what my subconscious is trying to sort out. Possibly something to do with delivering on a project or fulfilling potential, but my subconscious is worried that I can't do it. Maybe I am too. I wish I knew exactly what it is, though...
In the first one, I was very heavily pregnant and there were lots of people - friends, family, people I don't know - gathered in a room. I don't remember why. They were all talking to me and very excited about the imminent arrival of the baby, though. I walked into a different room (it became a chapel) and went into labour. I went to the hospital, but there was no baby. Apparently, there had never been one. I just sort of physically 'deflated'. I was very confused; I was absolutely sure there had been. I had felt its weight. I went back to the gathering. Everyone was very disappointed, and many of them thought I'd lied to them - made it up - and now they didn't want anything to do with me.
The second one I don't remember quite so clearly. I remember that I was pregnant and went into labour and then everything just stopped. It didn't disappear, like the first one, but I didn't get any further in having it. I just went home, still pregnant.
In the third one - last night's dream - again, I was heavily pregnant. I thought I had gone into labour. I went to a hospital, got to a nurses' station and then it stopped. A false alarm. 'These things happen', said the nurse, and away we went. Then we (a group of friends, though not all people I know in my waking life) seemed to be on holiday, and we went to eat in the breakfast room of the Bed and Breakfast. It was upstairs on a sort of mezzane level, but the decoration was like a country cottage kitchen. There were only chairs around one (longer) side of a fairly large oval table. There was one empty seat and too many of us, so I said someone else could have the seat instead of me. I said I wasn't very comfortable sitting anyway, and I wandered around a for a while, snacking. I set off down the stairs again and went into labour - not a false alarm this time. No attempt to get to a hospital, and there was no doubt that there actually was a baby, but despite my best efforts and the support of a friend, I couldn't push it out. I kept trying and trying, and the effort was exhausting and painful (I was watching myself shaking with the effort, and could see my face reddening) but it wasn't going to leave my body.
I think I must have left the dream then, because I can't remember any more beyond that, but I'm not surprised I was extremely tired when the Physio brought me a cup of tea to wake me up this morning.
Whilst there is the possibility that these dreams might in some way be related to a desire to have children at some point, I doubt that the surface story is the real meaning of what my subconscious is trying to sort out. Possibly something to do with delivering on a project or fulfilling potential, but my subconscious is worried that I can't do it. Maybe I am too. I wish I knew exactly what it is, though...
Saturday, 24 December 2011
Irresponsible TV.
Bullying does not make good TV.
This might seem like an obvious statement, but it was provoked by a programme I watched yesterday evening. I usually enjoy 8 out of 10 Cats; the panellists are witty and play off each other very well. There is sometimes a certain amount of good natured banter, but no real harm is meant. For last night's festive edition, the panellists were Sean Lock, Micky Flanagan, Jon Richardson, Greg Davies, Liza Tarbuck and Jedward. Very little of the show was funny. I was disappointed.
I don't like Jedward, for several reasons. I don't think they are particularly talented as singers, dancers or performers in general. (I also don't like that as twins they present themselves as one entity, even conflating their names, but that's a separate issue.). I also don't like the 'celebrity' culture they represent: they are, actually, famous for their lack of talent, promoted by the UK X factor show. They are young, and have been thrust into the spotlight with managers/agents who get their faces on anything and everything they can. X factor expoited them for viewing figures - not to listen in awe to their vocal brilliance, but to see what new crazy thing they would do - and they continue to develop their own particular 'brand' in this way. It might be good for their publicity, but I doubt it is good for the boys themselves. Last night's programme was a good example of this.
Most of the programme consisted of the other panellists (and the host, Jimmy Carr) joking amongst themselves about how terrible and how stupid Jedward are. There was a lot of name calling, and a lot of highlighting their 'faults'. And the boys just kept pushing through. They kept trying to join in in answering the questions, but each time they were made to look extremely foolish at best.
I don't think they did themselves any favours on this front. And I don't think that their managers / agents / parents are doing them any favours either in encouraging them to keep doing these things. There is a limit to how long they will be able to continue presenting themselves in the way that they do, and they will also struggle to create careers for themselves when the 'Jedward' bubble bursts - which it will, sooner or later.
But, the 'grown ups' on 8 out of 10 Cats (their term, not mine) did not come across any better in their dealings with the boys. The funniest moments were those of quick wit, mostly directed at other targets than Jedward. There is nothing quick witted about verbally bashing or humiliating an easy target. And the boys themselves, although they kept smiling through, looked at times like they were genuinely hurt by some of the comments. There was nothing funny about grown men (I'm excluding Liza Tarbuck, because she actually said very little, and would add that Jon Richardson behaved better than the others) bullying teenage boys.
Jedward were well out of their depth. They knew it. The host and other panellists knew it. And I knew it. And it made for very uncomfortable viewing. .
The TV programme that created 'Jedward' was irresponsible to do so. They are not well equipped for the world that either loves or loathes them, and whilst they are 'good sports', there is a limit to what they ought to be expected to take in the name of publicity.
Presenting this as a Christmas comedy programme gives out the wrong message. It suggests that bullying is witty, or funny. It isn't. If those sorts of comments were made in a different forum we would all agree it was bullying and wrong. But because it was a comedy show - and because Jedward are Jedward - such behaviour is allowed to pass by uncriticised. It shouldn't be.
Such blatant bullying on TV is not funny. It is cruel and it is irresponsible. And it should be far beneath the witty comedians who made two teenage boys their target as part of festive fun.
This might seem like an obvious statement, but it was provoked by a programme I watched yesterday evening. I usually enjoy 8 out of 10 Cats; the panellists are witty and play off each other very well. There is sometimes a certain amount of good natured banter, but no real harm is meant. For last night's festive edition, the panellists were Sean Lock, Micky Flanagan, Jon Richardson, Greg Davies, Liza Tarbuck and Jedward. Very little of the show was funny. I was disappointed.
I don't like Jedward, for several reasons. I don't think they are particularly talented as singers, dancers or performers in general. (I also don't like that as twins they present themselves as one entity, even conflating their names, but that's a separate issue.). I also don't like the 'celebrity' culture they represent: they are, actually, famous for their lack of talent, promoted by the UK X factor show. They are young, and have been thrust into the spotlight with managers/agents who get their faces on anything and everything they can. X factor expoited them for viewing figures - not to listen in awe to their vocal brilliance, but to see what new crazy thing they would do - and they continue to develop their own particular 'brand' in this way. It might be good for their publicity, but I doubt it is good for the boys themselves. Last night's programme was a good example of this.
Most of the programme consisted of the other panellists (and the host, Jimmy Carr) joking amongst themselves about how terrible and how stupid Jedward are. There was a lot of name calling, and a lot of highlighting their 'faults'. And the boys just kept pushing through. They kept trying to join in in answering the questions, but each time they were made to look extremely foolish at best.
I don't think they did themselves any favours on this front. And I don't think that their managers / agents / parents are doing them any favours either in encouraging them to keep doing these things. There is a limit to how long they will be able to continue presenting themselves in the way that they do, and they will also struggle to create careers for themselves when the 'Jedward' bubble bursts - which it will, sooner or later.
But, the 'grown ups' on 8 out of 10 Cats (their term, not mine) did not come across any better in their dealings with the boys. The funniest moments were those of quick wit, mostly directed at other targets than Jedward. There is nothing quick witted about verbally bashing or humiliating an easy target. And the boys themselves, although they kept smiling through, looked at times like they were genuinely hurt by some of the comments. There was nothing funny about grown men (I'm excluding Liza Tarbuck, because she actually said very little, and would add that Jon Richardson behaved better than the others) bullying teenage boys.
Jedward were well out of their depth. They knew it. The host and other panellists knew it. And I knew it. And it made for very uncomfortable viewing. .
The TV programme that created 'Jedward' was irresponsible to do so. They are not well equipped for the world that either loves or loathes them, and whilst they are 'good sports', there is a limit to what they ought to be expected to take in the name of publicity.
Presenting this as a Christmas comedy programme gives out the wrong message. It suggests that bullying is witty, or funny. It isn't. If those sorts of comments were made in a different forum we would all agree it was bullying and wrong. But because it was a comedy show - and because Jedward are Jedward - such behaviour is allowed to pass by uncriticised. It shouldn't be.
Such blatant bullying on TV is not funny. It is cruel and it is irresponsible. And it should be far beneath the witty comedians who made two teenage boys their target as part of festive fun.
Friday, 25 November 2011
Hello Again!
Hello again!
It's been a long time since I've been here, and so much has happened. I won't write it all down here today but intend to post more regularly from now on, so maybe we could catch up as I go along... I've started writing many posts since the last one, but never quite finished them. Some are just on pieces of paper tucked into the books that inspired them, and some are now so far out of date that I might as well start again as try to adapt them.
I'll be back soon.
It's been a long time since I've been here, and so much has happened. I won't write it all down here today but intend to post more regularly from now on, so maybe we could catch up as I go along... I've started writing many posts since the last one, but never quite finished them. Some are just on pieces of paper tucked into the books that inspired them, and some are now so far out of date that I might as well start again as try to adapt them.
I'll be back soon.
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
Clearing Out
OK. I admit it. I have been somewhat lax in 'putting things away' for some time now. I have frequently explained this by saying that the flat is small and is therefore untidy because I have no where to put things, but, in my recent attempts to make space I have discovered that much of my previously 'necessary' clutter is rubbish. Magazines I have failed to throw away. Smaller bits and pieces that I kept at the time 'just in case' and can't now remember what they relate to.
I'm making some progress clearing out. Slowly but surely surfaces are reappearing in my flat. I intend to keep it that way, but we'll see. Habits that have developed over the last couple of years living by myself might be difficult to break. But, I do have more motivation now the Physio has come to stay with me for the summer. I am more aware of the clutter now that someone else sees it every day than when I was living by myself. I really do think that when your mess affects only you, it is much harder to remember to be tidy than when your mess affects other people. Added to this, the Physio is a very tidy person, and I know that the state of my flat bugs him, even though he doesn't say anything. So, I intend to make the effort. I used to be a tidy person. I can do it again.
Besides, I actually like living in a clean and tidy space.
I'm making some progress clearing out. Slowly but surely surfaces are reappearing in my flat. I intend to keep it that way, but we'll see. Habits that have developed over the last couple of years living by myself might be difficult to break. But, I do have more motivation now the Physio has come to stay with me for the summer. I am more aware of the clutter now that someone else sees it every day than when I was living by myself. I really do think that when your mess affects only you, it is much harder to remember to be tidy than when your mess affects other people. Added to this, the Physio is a very tidy person, and I know that the state of my flat bugs him, even though he doesn't say anything. So, I intend to make the effort. I used to be a tidy person. I can do it again.
Besides, I actually like living in a clean and tidy space.
Tuesday, 15 June 2010
Making (some) progress
Well, the conference paper on 'new stuff' went reasonably well, although there was very little discussion of my paper after the panel. I suppose if the audience had felt strongly that my reading should be challenged they would have done so, either during questions or afterwards, so I'm taking this as positive. Perhaps the audience were all just tired though.
I ran out of time to write some more 'new stuff' for my second conference in May, but managed to find a section on my thesis to present instead, without looking too much like I'd shoe-horned it in. That conference was an extremely interesting day on one topic, with plenty of time for discussion, and I enjoyed very much being back in the Beautiful Scottish City that I Miss.
Now my plans are to turn the first paper into an article, reasonably quickly. I wanted to carry on with it immediately after the conference, but with exam papers to mark, a further paper to produce and then twelve 4000-word projects to mark, I've sort of lost the momentum. But, my co-organisers have managed to find an avenue for publication of the conference papers as a special edition of a journal, and I'm excited about producing something to publish. Hopefully my writing nerves won't impede me too much.
I might revisit the section taken from my thesis for the second paper to produce an article too, but I might just leave that one in order to develop it when I turn my thesis into a book (book proposal part 2 of summer plan). I also have an article I've been sitting on for nearly twelve months that needs some referencing amendments and that's article no.2 or 3.
So, I feel I'm making progress. Not a lot, but some. And that is better than no progress at all.
I ran out of time to write some more 'new stuff' for my second conference in May, but managed to find a section on my thesis to present instead, without looking too much like I'd shoe-horned it in. That conference was an extremely interesting day on one topic, with plenty of time for discussion, and I enjoyed very much being back in the Beautiful Scottish City that I Miss.
Now my plans are to turn the first paper into an article, reasonably quickly. I wanted to carry on with it immediately after the conference, but with exam papers to mark, a further paper to produce and then twelve 4000-word projects to mark, I've sort of lost the momentum. But, my co-organisers have managed to find an avenue for publication of the conference papers as a special edition of a journal, and I'm excited about producing something to publish. Hopefully my writing nerves won't impede me too much.
I might revisit the section taken from my thesis for the second paper to produce an article too, but I might just leave that one in order to develop it when I turn my thesis into a book (book proposal part 2 of summer plan). I also have an article I've been sitting on for nearly twelve months that needs some referencing amendments and that's article no.2 or 3.
So, I feel I'm making progress. Not a lot, but some. And that is better than no progress at all.
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