It's a freaking WRITING CLASS!

[trailerparkmedic]

Plaid, if it makes you feel any better, some of my fiance's clients hire people with 4 year degrees who don't know the difference between their/there/they're.

And CC is real school. I have a zillion credits from CC and was about to finish my degree at a CC before I realized I could have my BS in the same time (because of the zillion credits) and it's a smarter long term move for me to get the BS. CCs are cheap and are way better at straight up career training than most university programs, IMHO.

[noone]

I spent a semester at a community school. (I switched out mainly 'cause I didn't want to be home, my Father is one of those 'it's extended high school' mindset.)

Usually when people did stupid things like that in writing class, I'd point and laugh internally, but give them no help unless I was asked.

Then again, this was the class where one student crossed out the word "rotund" and put round instead, 'cause he thought it was a spelling error.

Also, CC are cheap, which is great, and if you feel you need a four-year degree, you can spend less time at an expensive school. A some of my friends did that, or went straight to work, with less student loans than me...

[jedimaster91]

Yeah, I know alot of people think less of me for going to a community college rather then a real one. But hey, it's getting me the degree I need and it's still cheaper then anything i could ever afford otherwise.

I got my whole degree at a Community College and it has one of the top programs for Nuc Med in the country. Granted, my prereq classes had a lot of what you described in your OP, but once I got into the program I wanted, the students were hardworking and attentive. It was great!

I also had an English teacher in high school who could be *lovingly* described as a grammar Nazi. No exaggeration. If you didn't know the differences between there/their/they're, to/two/too, etc, by the time you finished her class, there was no hope for you. And she would flunk you and make you take her class again.

[elsporko]

You don't have to have a degree to get published, but it would pay to study other poets and have an idea of what makes a good poem. I took a poetry class for my minor (Writing), and came out with a better appreciation for the style, even if I still had no real drive to write poetry myself. I can craft better insults in limerick form, though.

I agree that studying poetry is very important to writing it. Its just that you can write poetry and take poetry classes without it being your major. If your poetry career fails your major in poetry isn't going to get you a job many places.

[Geek King]

If your poetry career fails your major in poetry isn't going to get you a job many places.

Well, you can always go whining to the Nation Endowment of the Arts because no one appreciates your form of art and get the taxpayers to support you.

Yes, I've been following the story of the fellow applying for a grant for his one-word "poems." How'd you guess?

Art Alert!


Ode to a One-Word Poet

doofus.

This Space left blank for impact!

[Midnight12]

OMG are the kids straight from grade school or have horrible ADD? (attention deficit disorder)
because not only did the teacher go out of his/her way to explain grade school STUFF it was made clear what is due when and then you had to REPEAT this. and they are STILL confused. or are these people illiterate and that dumb? Composition one...stuff that by now one should know how to do simple essays, persuasive stuff, narratives and so on. OMFG
( So not everyone is gifted with the written word but COME ON....some of the basics should have sunk in just a little bit by now?)

[Arcade Man D]

OMG are the kids straight from grade school or have horrible ADD? (attention deficit disorder)

They're what we real students at my CC call, derisively, "13th graders". As a note, a "13th grader" is not someone who needs to take 0xx level classes to catch up because they had a poor high school education. A 13th grader is a person who comes in expecting their hand to be held like they're still in public school. A person who turns in homework/drafts/projects late with the excuse "you didn't tell me it was due by blah!", when the due dates were all clearly written on the syllabus/homework sheet (my Calc professor handed out a homework sheet for each unit, rather than giving every due date ahead of time). They blow off class, ignore the professor, and whine about how hard it all is now that mommy and daddy can't help them or yell at the teacher to give them a good grade.

And Plaid: Definitely no shame in going to a CC. I'm going there for an associates, then going to a smaller 4-year college for my Bachelor's in Mathematics Education 7-12, then finally probably attending Cornell or SU for my Master's in Mathematics for final teaching certification. Of course, the only reason I can afford all that is the 2 years at a CC will help me get a leg up with financial aid for later.

[Red_Dazes]

I am a Community College student too. So don't feel bad, i personally thing C.C. are way better than universities for some degrees.

...But about your post... It made me want to cry. Seriously.... I want to cry. It reminded me so much of my last writing class....just...ridiculous.

[Midnight12]

They're what we real students at my CC call, derisively, "13th graders". As a note, a "13th grader" is not someone who needs to take 0xx level classes to catch up because they had a poor high school education. A 13th grader is a person who comes in expecting their hand to be held like they're still in public school.

I guess i got lucky in public high school in where I was at least warned that when going to college READ the syllabus, don't want morning classes don't register for them, however most freshmen must endure that anyways. And if I REALLY want to make it at least try to make an impression on the professor regular OR CC as depending on where I go I may not have a name but a number based on the size of a class.
so yeah. I made it a point to mark down due dates in my calendar at home and in mah notebook. (was super lucky to has a mom who instilled good time and task managing skills...because if i didn't i'd be as bad as they are. Once told my teacher at the end of the year in response to the college thing. psh dun hold my hand I haven't had my shots yet and am contagious. after getting a wtf look I said. Contagious with time management skills and actually paying attention heaven forbid i pass this horrible horrible disease on. made her laugh.


ALSO CC is just as good if not cheaper.

[elsporko]

Contagious with time management skills and actually paying attention

I read this line in Mitch Hedberg's voice.

[Plaidman]

1: Sorry about the your/you're. Ironic I know. Chop it up to lack of sleep and sleeping pills.

2: Speaking of my writing class, I got a call from my dean today. She wanted to ask about what my teacher said in class.

I already knew some students were making fun of her behind her back because of her books she wrote. It was on her life, and what she did when she was younger. (It's why I took out the URL, trying to save her more grief).

I guess it spread far quicker. My dean remembered me, the fact I admitted without being asked first about puking in the hall rather then hiding it. That teachers liked me and etc. She wanted to know if the teacher herself was the one that told us about the youtube videos and the topic of her books, which yeah, very innapporative. I was honest. Nope, she told us she did write books and had two kids, that was it. I knew that people were making fun of her, and telling other people to watch these tapes on youtube. I knew the student that first started it. Dean didn't want the name, at least yet. She can't stop students from doing independet research. She can however stop a teacher from doing innapporative topics in class like that part of her past.

I like the teacher. I like the class most of the time, at least my group has some brains compared to the other assholes. So, yeah. I'm going to do what I can to help her. I'm still going to read that book. But I'm not going to talk about that part of her past, which she admits on her webpage was bad, but she learned from her mistakes. I hope this blows over with her unscatched. She doesn't deserve this shit from a bunch of assholes who don't get the fact they need to write for a writing class, but I have a bad feeling this isn't going to be over anytime soon.

[Miss Fatale]

I've (nearly) got me a writing major and I'm still amazed at the amount of students who bitch about having to write and grammar sucks and blah blah blah. These are the same types of students who put emoicons and smiley faces into their school exams, screw around on Facebook during class, throw a hissy fit when they have stuff to present and didn't do it, and beg the professor to let them out early. And then throw a bigger fit when they don't get A's.



I heard somewhere that basic spelling and phonics are no longer taught in elementary school. That would explain a lot.

A lot of people are in school who shouldn't be -- they aren't mature enough yet, they're there because Mommy and Daddy said so, they need a degree to advance in the career but don't want to be in school otherwise, they're there because of cultural pressure to get a degree, or because student loans seem like free money (ha).

Then the upshot is that they complain and whine and make it difficult for the students who truly want to be there. I think learning for learning's sake is valuable, and I think everyone who wants to should be able to get an affordable degree. That doesn't mean every single 18 year old needs to be in college this second.....

Anyway. Yes, I've heard that too, that spelling and phonics aren't taught in elementary school. I was in elem. school in the early 90s, and we did a lot of "trial by error, it's okay if you misspell, do your best" kind of exercises. I think it's called "whole phonics." It definitely makes it harder later on.

[Evil Queen]

Plaid, even though your classmates suck, I like your teacher. She pwned the class!

[Plaidman]

Plaid, even though your classmates suck, I like your teacher. She pwned the class!

Yeah. Now alot of students are trying to get her fired now.

[Evil Queen]

I don't think your teacher will get fired. It does sound like she was doing just fine.