Wednesday, December 09, 2009

I will not be allowing any more of that

Today due to extreme student procrastination I had to listen to 13 student presentations in one hour. From now on I am not allowing any students to delay oral assignments without serious penalties. Inevitably too many people want to go on the last day possible. Next semester I will be assigning specific days to students for oral presentations and those not ready on their designated day will get a zero. Such draconian measures regarding written assignments have generally been effective in the past.

3 comments:

Kristina said...

you know what I do, I have the A team go first as a sort of example for the others. They are happy to comply and get it over with and this gives the laggards more time to assemble their ppts and maybe do a better job. I watched about 80 presentations in the span of 2 and half weeks. Then again, I had many classes and many students for that kind of distribution. It also helped to raise the standards to have outside guests come to question and evaluate. Just some thoughts that might help you for next time.

Kristina said...

sorry about the Trojan problem, I think it was not my computer's fault. I only use the university computer since I don't have Internet at home. Maybe it was a a warning about "don't even THINK about going to teach in Astana after you are done in Bishkek." Well, consider it, they will need teachers later. Right now they need English teachers to help with the basic student crowd. It hopes to draw 25,000 eventually.
Anyway, I have to get my visa renewed so I'll be in your city, the Lord willing, on Christmas Day. Maybe we can catch up then, I plan to stay at the same place close to AUCA as I did fall of 2007. Sorry about your computer, hope it heals

J. Otto Pohl said...

Kristina:

My A team is always less than 10% of the class while 80% want to go the last day possible.

I fixed the computer. It took less time than I thought. No, it was not your fault. It is just the problem popped up at the same time that I opened your e-mail.

I will be here Christmas Day. I will send you an e-mail with contact details.