So my last post was about how much I was loathing my Tuesday afternoon class. Well, I think I'm psychic because there was certainly plenty of reason for me to loath that class. Here's the story:
I must begin with a little background information. The class is called Performance Theory. It's all about nonverbal communication (among other things) and how our actions, or performances, communicate. This class was not my first choice. The class I wanted to be in filled too fast, and so I was stuck taking this class. Each week we get a writing prompt based on the readings for the following week. They are due every Friday by 3pm and are between 2 and 3 pages. Really, it's an easy assignment. If you read, which is essential in higher education, then you can answer the essay question easily, and 2-3 pages is a breeze for me now. So, part of class is critiquing each others essays. We email them to the entire class, and are responsible for reading them and coming up with comments/questions. The professor always starts by asking you a specific question about your essay, so your first inclination is to defend your writing.
I hate this kind of thing. I think it's pointless and I don't see what it's teaching me, cause here is what inevitably happens. The teacher asks a question, you answer it, and then everyone starts to argue about what you said. Not productive auguring, just prideful, know-it-all arguing. Well, that is exactly what happened to me last Tuesday.
So my turn comes to talk about my essay. Might I add that I am the LAST one to go, and we only have 2 or 3 minutes till class is out. So, the professor asks me a question. Honestly, I don't really remember what it was, but I remember my answer. I told him that a big part of me disagreed that performance was communication. I said that in order for any action to be considered communication, it has to be trying to send a message. I told him that I didn't feel like all of our everyday, mundane behaviors were intended to send a message, so I didn't think they were communication.
You would have thought I opened the gates of hell.
Not only did the professor question me, which he is allowed to do cause he's the professor, I got 11 looks for the other class members that all distinctly said "you're crazy and dumb". After the professor asked me a question (and he was quite respectful), before I had any chance to answer him, all 11 class members started talking to me at once, telling me how wrong I was. "what about such and such situation", "what about behaviors that become habit and routine," "what about rituals". I had absolutely no chance to say anything. It was like being questioned by a prosecutor in court. After the professor quieted everyone down, I had a small chance to answer back, but at this point I was so flabbergasted that I talked all over myself. Of course, my inability to form a complete thought at this time only made it worse, and when I finished my mumbling, everyone started in again. At this point I was fed up. So I held up my hands in surrender and said,well, maybe it was closer to shouting "Look, that is just my opinion, I'm not saying whether it is right or wrong, I'm just saying that that is how I define communication...sending a message. Crucify me if you want to, but at least let me speak." Now, I don't say much in this class to begin with. I have never taken a class in this discipline before, so I feel way out of my element. It's really touchy feeley and, quite frankly, it's annoying to listen to. So, after three weeks of class, not only was the first thing I said completely ludicrous in some peoples eyes, but the second thing I said was quite defensive and "in your face." I knew I was destined to hate that class.
So...you think that after a week they have forgotten me?
2 comments:
Ugh... I hated classes like that. I'm sure it only gets worse in Masters level courses. Yikes. I ALWAYS managed to fumble my answers when asked to defend one of my positions, but after awhile I learned to think of it this way...that, seriously, what do I care of what these arrogant people think of me anyway? I'm not going to change their opinions and I'll probably never see them again after this semester.
Oh, and they are big poopheads. (I was an elementary school teacher, so I think that way)
It always made me feel a little bit better. Only a few months to go, right?
I am so sorry, Karen! Hooray for open-minded discussion, right? (sarcasm) You'd think people would learn how to listen and share ideas by masters level. And don't worry about this week. Just go in there as if it never happened, and most likely it'll never be thought of again.
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