Monday, February 12, 2007

Apathy Jack writes:

Creator “I spoke to the Deputy Principal again about the fact that my Year 13 English class is literally twice the size of most other Year 13 classes.”
Me “How did that go?”
Creator “Her only response was that your Classics class was also quite big.”
Me “That’s an unfair comparison. The only reason my Classics is so big is because the twisted cult of personality I’ve developed around myself means that kids are lined up to take any class I do, regardless of what it is.”
Creator “‘Cult of personality’. I like that.”
Me “I don’t, it makes my classes too big...”

13 comments:

RSJS said...

From Shiva to Stalin...

Nat said...

So, does Hoodrat high take adult students?

That Morthos Stare said...

It pleases me, probably more than I should ever let on to know, that the course I was involved in teaching a year ago has been steadily dropping in enrolment numbers since I've been off the duty roster.

Apathy Jack said...

Nat, Hoodrat High will take anyone.

Except you.

There's a picture of you in our foyer with "Do Not Give Education To This Man" written in bold letters under your glowering, hated-filled visage.

RSJS, I am in no way like Stalin. I am a freedom-loving peacenik who believes firmly in deomcracy, and there's almost no chance I'll round up you, your family and anyone you've talked to in the last seven years and ship you off to labour camps where you will slave in the book-binding mines (I know it's traditionally done in workshops, but I have some spare mines, so what are you gonna do...) replacing all of my lost and vandalised copies of 'Of Mice And Men' until your fingers are worn down to the knuckles and you pray for the sweet release of death that only I can grant because I am like unto your God.

Almost no chance at all.

Hoodrat Prevails.

Miss Smuggersham said...

cult of personality? That describes teaching quite well, doesn't it?

Matthew R. X. Dentith said...

T-bird: No, not really.

Apathy Jack said...

"That describes teaching quite well, doesn't it?"
"No, not really."

Well, maybe not the way you do it...

Matthew R. X. Dentith said...

True. 'Striptease' is a better description for my work.

Hewligan said...

"That describes teaching quite well, doesn't it?"
"No, not really."
"Well, maybe not the way you do it..."

I find it hard to imagine Ransome not doing it that way.

Miss Smuggersham said...

Well, rather than cult of personality, I have to admit that my classroom is more like... well me trying to make 27 minimes. Maybe a cult of ego, then?

Striptease, eh? Anything a card carrying member of the Union of Crabapples would want to see?

Matthew R. X. Dentith said...

Yeah, I do the whole 'Cult of Personality' and I do it better, bigger and faster than anyone else, but it's not a good description of teaching overall and I won't recommend it as a method, let alone the method, for educating the leaders of tomorrow, et al, ad nauseam.

Miss Smuggersham said...

Dammit, every frakkin' time I press 'publish' something happens. It could be my being a luddite, but I choose to blame this devil box.

Bigger, better and faster? Hmmm.

So what is an adequate definition of teaching? I don't have one, the job encompasses too much.

If I am being flippant I will put my success down to personality and connections with students. But really for me, it's all about causing the least amount of lasting psychological harm.

Sir Arthur Streeb-Greebling said...

So it's Classics next.Why don't they just stop fucking around and make you headmaster.