Woohoo - I just got to go see The Legend of Zoro, and it doesn't even open until next week. Fortunately I have made friends in the right places. One of them managed to get free tickets to the preview show this morning at 10:00. Ok so getting up early on Saturday is not my usual thing, but for a free ticket to a movie that I really wanted to see, that makes a difference.
I don't want to give any spoilers, but it was a good movie. Unlike so many sequals that rely too heavily on the previous movie, this one could have stood on it's own. The plot and characters were fully formed within the time frame of the movie. The action and characterization were equally important to the movie - and frequently shared the seconds.
There was all the witty dialogue from the first movie. Wonderful personal problems that needed solving along with the obvious bad guys who needed bashing. Everyone knew different things about what was really happening and the cross overs were amuzing.
And it all involves plenty of dirt, soap, dust and water.
Well, I did it again. I spent the weekend near St. Louis with a bunch of people who are at various stages of learning ASL, with our voice off. This does not mean that we were any where close to silent (despite the fact that the even was called "Silent Weekend"). Oh no, since we couldn't use our voices for talking, we used them for laughing. We used our hands for talking.
I discovered that it is much easier to talk through laughter when you are signing than speaking. Unless of course you are having one of those fall on the floor laughing moments, then you are pretty much doomed to hold it in. But really, since ASL doesn't use the voice, you can laugh and sign at the same time. This is a skill we practiced a lot this weekend.
It's amazing how dumping a little over 100 strangers together with a weird behavior restriction will turn them all into instant friends. Not only did we laugh together, we helped each other out, we communicated, we teased. It was one big community. Outside of that camp though, I doubt we would have found each other interesting enough to hang out together for very long.
As I've been going to these silent weekends, I've noticed my skills improving. The first year, I was able to hold simple conversations with people and caught about half the jokes. Last year, I caught about 60% of the jokes. This year, it was closer to 80% and I was able to hold deep philisophical discussion with some of the Deaf. I could describe my religion and discuss the meanings of some of the imagery. And I could argue with a friend without slipping back into English. At the end of it, I have to say that I am impressed with myself.
Of course now I go back to class and learn just how much more skilled I'm going to have to become to be a good interpreter. But I go knowing that I have already learned a lot, and with practice I'll get there.
Listen up. If you teach above the High School level (this may apply to the last two years of high school too). You could be the most brilliant teacher on the face of this planet and still have students trying to avoid your classes if you fail to understand one thing.
Students have lives outside of class.
This may seem obvious, but so many professors don't seem to get it. It's not just that students have other classes - those classes have homework too. Then there is the job. Most college students these days have at least one job (many have 2 or more). On top of that, sane students need sleep and social interaction.
So with all of that going on in a student's life, they need to be able to manage their time. Most of them are actually pretty good at this (don't let the number of excuses that you get fool you - it's not easy to work to so many deadlines). The problem is that too many professors don't facilitate good time management on their student's part. Professors need to give the students as much flexibility in getting their homework done on time as possible. This means, syllabusses should accurately reflect due dates and include descriptions of major assignments so a student can look at all that is coming up and plan accordingly. Also, when changes in assignments come up, students should be informed of the change as soon as possible, and expect to excuse some student from new requirements if they have already completed the assignment.
Here is an example of a teacher who will not be getting high marks on their evaluation at the end of the semester:
This class requires a certain amount of out of class contact hours (good idea if a bit hard to do). In an attempt to get these hours completed quickly so they don't become a burden, I found an out of town event that will cover most of them. I proposed this event to my professor and recieved approval. Then while looking over my syllabus last weekend, I noticed that we have a project due the day I get back from that event. No, problem if I can get the project done before I go, but there is insufficient description of the project in the syllabus - just a note saying that it will be described on Wed. before I leave. That doesn't leave much time, so I contacted the teacher before class on Mon. and asked to have the description given early (explaining my plan to complete it early and pointing out that I'm not the only member of the class leaving town this weekend for the same reason). She does tell us what will be required for the project, which includes talking to either the TA or the Tutor (both available only on Wed.) before begining. Well so much for my time management skills. If she had mentioned this last week, I could have gone to the TA during her office hours after class and be ready to do the project now. Now however, I'm stuck. I asked if I could get a waiver for that part of the requirement for this part of the project (it's a rough draft, and we'll be expected to meet with the tutor or TA again before revising for the final draft). No go.
Now I have a choice
1) Do the project without talking to the TA or tutor and lose a grade for failing to follow directions
2) Wait until Wed, to meet with the tutor between classes and fight with all my classmates who need to see her then too and hopefully get some usuefull information from her in time to get the prjected done before I have to go to my next class.
3) same as two except try to rush back from the event and get to school early to do the project, hopefully getting it done in time to go to class.
4) shoot the teacher and give up all these worries while I serve a life sentence in prison.
None of them really work for me (though number 4 is tempting). I've already tried to contact the TA to see if she is available tonight, but haven't heard back from her yet, so that's not looking like an option.
So what am I learning from all this? The lesson that is sticking is that my teacher doesn't really care about our lives. She may be very knowledgeable in her subject. She may be wonderful about imparting that knowledge to her students. But I at least won't take any more classes from her than I absolutely have to.
So professors, I emplore you. Be flexible, pay attention, and give your students some credit. They really are trying to get it all done on time.
I'd like to call your attention to a small town that doesn't exist yet. Laurent South Dakota is a new town being built/created by some very dedicated members of the Deaf community. I for one hope they pull this off.
In a time when small towns are dieing, they are hoping to create a new one. It's not an easy thing to do, but they have a few things going for them. First, and foremost, they plan to make the primary language of the town ASL. That will give the town a unique flavor, and will hopefully draw enough interest from Deaf and CODA to keep the town populated. Second, the land they have aquired is only about 40 minutes from Sioux Falls, so if needed people can easily communte there for anything Laurent doesn't offer. Third, they have a sound plan for making the community livable. The town will be layed out so that pretty much everything is within walking distance. Shop owners will be able to live above their shops, school children will be able to walk to and from school, etc. It sounds like the kind of town that I would want to live in.
They have also made a plan to make a viable economy. They start with tourism, then add arts, industry and a college. They are located on a fairly high traffic road, just far enough from Souix Falls to be a reasonable place for motorists to stop. They will enhance the gas station by keeping the shopping district within easy walking distance, so people won't worry about leaving their car for a little while and wander around. They will also likely be a destination for members of the signing community who don't live there. In support of tourism, they plan to have museums and public art works. For industry, they already have some small businesses lined up, and are hoping to attract larger employers as well. They are also planning to have a community college in town with hopes of expanding to a four year college at some time in the future.
All in all, it has been very well thought out. They break ground next spring. Hopefully, they'll have a hotel up and running in time for me to celebrate my graduation with a small vacation there.