Copyright © Louis Schmier

Date: Wed 1/24/2007 3:40 AM
Random Thought: A Snippet of a Conversation in Class

I'll keep this brief and let you draw out the meaning of this part of a conversation we had yesterday in class about "studying."

"Why do you underline or highlight what you're reading in the textbook?" I asked.

"So I can go back over it," Sheila (not her real name) volunteered.

"Why do you want to go back over it?" I probed.

"Because it's important," she answered.

"What makes it important?"

"I feel it's going to be on the test," she asserted with confidence.

"Feel it's going to be on the test." I calmly and softly repeated her words as I sprung the trap. "But, we don't have tests in this class. So, what are you going to underline or highlight as you read the textbook?"

A sudden, stunned, and confused look. Silence. Pregnant, telling, and revealing silence. 

         Make it a good day.

                                                --Louis--


         Louis Schmier                lschmier@valdosta.edu
         Department of History        www.therandomthoughts.com
         Valdosta State University    www.halcyon.com/arborhts/louis.html
         Valdosta, GA  31698                 /~\        /\ /\
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                        -_~    /  "If you want to climb mountains,   \ /^\
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