Self Reflection

Long story short, one thing I sometimes do at the end of the school year is ask my students to fill out their own report card. I tell them not to guess at what their final grade for each class will be, but write down what they think they should get for each class and why. It is interesting to read their grades and comments, especially for English. I thought I would share a few of their admittedly general and hasty self reflections and let you draw your own conclusions (though I may toss in a few of mine). For the most part I won't indicate which class they made a comment about, but for a few it is necessary. I'll give you the grade followed by their reasoning, and as always, my comments are in (    ).

- 98: I taught you new vocabulary. When the student becomes the teacher they get a 98. (#1. The "vocabulary" was popular slang with a shelf life, I would guess, of two more weeks. #2. The teacher would like to point out that you used the wrong pronoun; your "they" should be "she." Now who's the teacher?)
- 100: How can I screw up when I never know what's going on?
- 93: essays bring me down bro. (I feel you, dog.)
- 95: I am the only girl in the class and that deserves something.
- 100 (for gym): I can't catch, throw or kick, but I do track, and anyone that actually lives through track deserves a 100.
- 99 (for gym) I try like it's the Olympics but I'm terrible at sports. What I lack in athleticism I make up for in effort.
- C: because I do text in class I do sometimes listen to music but I do pay attention and try to get my work done.
- 89: may not do all work but I try hard. (Is this not a contradiction?)
- D: I don't really try because I don't understand.
- 80: sometimes I zone out.
- 80: I show up most of the time. (There you have it. Showing up most of the time is worth a B minus.)
- 80: this doesn't interest me so I have trouble focusing.
- A minus: I always do my work even when no one else does.
- B plus: I sometimes try but I don't understand it at all.
- B: I barely know what's going on half the time. (Half the time is 50%. Is a B 50% now?)
- C: I never really know what's going on.
- 90: It's easy because all you have to do is listen. (Like being married.)
- 60: I don't understand any of that crap.
- 100 (for "lunch"): eat all food groups.

I did not ask them to grade themselves in "Lunch," but if there were participation grades for lunch most of my students would pass with flying colors. (Pun intended.)

J

Surveying the Year

Every year I give “End-of-the-Year Surveys” to all my students. Their responses are enlightening and often entertaining. The following are responses from students in several different classes, including: English 11, English 11E, Detective Fiction, and College English. The questions will be in bold, responses may come from any or all of the classes, and as always my comments are in (    ).

What was your favorite work we read this year and why?

- The Great Gatsby! I’ve read it before this year and I love it every time I read it.

- Grate Gastbe because there was killing. (Where were you for Hamlet?)

- I suppose I favored The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because it was the only book that didn’t involve romance or anything of that kind.

- My favorite work this year was The Scarlet Letter, because it made me feel accomplished to have read such a boring and difficult to understand book. (Good for you?)

What was your least favorite work and why?

- all of them, reading sucks. Its lame. (So glad to have you in class.)

- I really, really disliked Ethan Frome. The characters continuously angered me with their foolishness and lustful, wasn’t love, desires. Plus the story was far too dramatic for my liking.

- I think Ethan Frome is a dumb book because people do have choices and are not stuck in one single choice. They can also change their fate. (Take that, Edith Wharton!)

Which of the six papers in English 101 did you enjoy writing the most and why?

- I enjoyed writing the personal narrative because I like to talk about myself so it was easy.

- I enjoyed writing the personal narrative because it is about me. (I see a pattern developing.)

What did you like most about this class?

- My favorite part of English 11 was Mr. Chaffee’s sarcasm.

- the off topic conversations

- I liked our off task talks the most. (It always amazes me that they can’t see the connection between the literature and what they see as “off topic” conversations… even when I spell it our for them!)

What did you like the least?

- When Mr. Chaffee asked me to write in books. (I asked her to make a small pencil mark on one page. She was psychically incapable of doing it.)

(English 11E only) Did you like / dislike the journal writing? Explain.

- I liked the journal writing but if you neglect keeping up on the journals they become a huge burden at 9:00 p.m. the night before they are due.

Do you think you became a better writer in (this class?) Explain.

- Yes. Your very strict criticism helped me plenty. (I do go crazy with the green pen sometimes.)

- Yes, because now I realize if I state something I have to back it up with information.

Did your teacher give enough feedback on papers, etc. Explain.

- Yes, you stated when my writing had no actual point or nothing important in a paragraph.

- Yes. My teacher gave me more than enough feedback. My essays were covered in green writing. (See, crazy with the green pen.)

What did you learn in this class:

- I have learned that Mr. Chaffee is more of a comedian than an English teacher. (Is that a compliment? Didn’t feel like it.)

- always should write a rough draft. (Was this “sentence” just a rough draft? ‘Cuz it’s rough.)

- I learned just how much I wanted to graduate.

- That procrastination is probably the worst possible thing to do.

- Never procrastinate on writing a long paper because it barely ever works out in the end.

- Don’t know, wasn’t really here. (I noticed.)

- Don’t go on a massive killing spree like Hamlet. (You get real-life lessons in English class.)

- Don’t be a kiss ass. (See, life lessons.)

- I’ve learned how to look deeper and see the meaning of a chapter or just overall things in life.

- If we don’t get your references we are all sad people. (Actually it just makes me feel sad… and old.)

- TV isn’t worth watching / Technology has ruined the youth. (I harp on this… a lot.)

- society is a horrible place. (Not sure if it was me or the literature that brought this across. Probably me.)

- Essays are challenging in 11E.

- I learned how to write essays that were somewhat more clear and concise. More like a foggy and silty bucket of water than a mud puddle.

- I learned that conformity is bad and that I am an idiot. (Socrates supposedly said, “I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.” So, you’re in good company.)

- Think deeper, don’t just skim the surface with your writing.

- facts are facts and the truth is the truth.

- Truth and fact are different.

- truth = fact + meaning (More on this later.)

On a scale of one to ten, how hard was this class? Explain.

- 5 because some was hard and challenging but then I was lazy and didn’t do any work.

On a scale of one to ten, I put in this much effort: _____, because:

- 7. It’s my senior year so I’ve been a bit lazy but I also wanted to do well in your class so you would love me.

- 10. I always did my work and I was your favorite.

Do you have any suggestions about how to make (this class) better?

- No Regents Exam. (Amen and hallelujah.)

- More sarcasm! (I’m not sure I can be any more sarcastic.)

- It’s an enjoyable class, not too much work but still makes you think hard. (Again, is that a compliment? Or…)

- Never ask this question again. I don’t like giving suggestions to teachers.

Do you have any further comments on any topic whatsoever?

- I like… Turtles and books. You can never have too many books.

- This doesn’t end this year. Just wait until next year…

- This isn’t the end. (These last two comments, coming from two seniors, seemed ominous.)

- I honestly didn’t put forth great effort and I should of done better. But that pound cake was great! (I made pound cake… long story.)

- Yes

Ok, so the fact vs. truth thing: I am no philosopher, but I tried to get several of my classes to see the distinction between facts and truth. I brought up G. K. Chesterton’s comment that a truth is a fact plus a meaning, as well as Jacques Ellul’s assertion that 2 + 2 = 4 should not be called “true” but rather “accurate.” Math is not truth. I wanted them to see that what is most important is not facts, but how we interpret facts, that we have a sound ability to reason and a philosophy through which we filter facts to arrive at truth. Some of them bought it; some of them did not. But at least it stuck in their minds!

Maybe one more post this summer.

J