"But...but...you HAVE to help me!"

[JoitheArtist]

It sounds like if this board could write the next great American novel if we put our minds to it.

*has written 3 novels so far and going for a 4th* Actually, I think it sounds like we should kidnap LingualMonkey, get him to teach a class for us, and show him the joy of teaching a class full of those who actually want to learn.

[LadyAndreca]

Sure, why not? I need two English and two Lit classes to graduate.

[Moggie]

It cheers me so to hear that other folks have had trouble with teachers from reading too much.

When I was starting High School we'd been assigned to read a section of The Odyssey. Since I’d read the whole thing back in 3rd grade, I wasn’t actually taking notes on the out-loud read along the teacher had us doing. I was happily pouring over Larry Niven and Jerry Pournell’s “The Mote in God’s Eye”. When the teacher confiscated that I reached under the desk, pulled out the dictionary and started reading that. She was so frustrated with me that she grabbed the dictionary off my desk and pitched it across the room. It fell out the open window totally by accident and I got to go pick it up and explain myself to the principal. My parents’ only comment was “We told you not to put her in regular English.”

[JoitheArtist]

My parents’ only comment was “We told you not to put her in regular English.”

Gotta LOVE supportive parents. When I was about 11, I was obsessed with Greek mythology. Several people in my church expressed concern to my parents. My mom's answer was essentially, "They're classics, you idiot, let her read what she wants."

*grin* My dad was a librarian, and at least once a week got a call from me saying, "Hey dad, I need this book, can you bring it home at lunch?" You wouldn't believe the fines we racked up....Oh, and as the librarian's family, we always helped set up the Friends of the Library used book sale....which meant scouting out all the good books before anyone else arrived.

This, essentially, is my family: http://wondermark.com/442/

My poor younger sister, who only read about half of what I did, always thought she was stupid. Till she went to college. And encountered people who thought "facade" was pronounced "FAY-cade", and had about a quarter of her vocabulary.

[Moggie]

This, essentially, is my family: http://wondermark.com/442/

That's LOVE right there!

[AnaKhouri]

What a great cartoon!

When we moved my husband counted our books: 1,172. It's not like we're ever going to read most of them again, but I feel very anxious at the thought of getting rid of them. I wonder if it's some sort of hoarding complex?

Though, truthfully, I am eager to have a child so someday they will come crying to me, holding my battered copy of "Black Beauty", "Mommy, Ginger died!"

[KhirasHY]

In one of my community college history classes, my teacher, while discussing the results of a recent test, said "How many of you pisscutters couldn't figure out which state was named for William Penn?!"

That made me a sad panda. Evidently there were quite a few students who flubbed that particular question.

Heh, I once had a teacher for Western History (basically the early western movement in the US through about 1875) who was, for lack of a better term the "angry old man" of the department. In the first week, he called everyone an idiot until they prove otherwise, and told us that anyone who put stock in information from any Kevin Costner film in history needed to be drawn and quartered.

One of the most amusing series of classes I've ever had was when he made us watch Dances With Wolves, and stopped quite often to point out exactly where the factual information was the opposite of its portrayal.

It's amazing how badly 1 shitty film distorted that period of history...

As for books, I don't have quite a library of 1,172 just yet, but it's steadily growing. I don't have an exact could, but I'd say my current list would be around 350 or so, mostly fiction with the occasional textbook, biography, nonfiction history book, etc. mixed in. I'm running out of space...need a bigger house for my books!

[Jester]

In the first week, he ... told us that anyone who put stock in information from any Kevin Costner film in history needed to be drawn and quartered.

A good example of this is comparing "Tombstone" to Costner's "Wyatt Earp." Forgetting the aesthetics of the two movies, virtually all experts agree that "Tombstone" was, for the most part, far more factually and historically correct than "Wyatt Earp," especially in regards to the costuming.

[BroSCFischer]

In one of my community college history classes, my teacher, while discussing the results of a recent test, said "How many of you pisscutters couldn't figure out which state was named for William Penn?!"

That made me a sad panda. Evidently there were quite a few students who flubbed that particular question.

That reminds me of a situation that occurred in my 11 th grade American History class. The regular teacher was out, and he had his student teacher showing us a video on Jefferson (the president). I was the only one even trying to pay attention (I like American History), so the student teacher gave us a 5 question pop quiz on Thomas Jefferson basics. And I mean basics. Like which president was Jefferson? and What was the name of his estate?

I was the ONLY person in the class to get a hundred, but what worried me more was the number of students that put down 2nd, 4th or 5th for the first question. I mean c'mon, it goes like this:

Washington
Adams
Jefferson
Madison
Monroe
Adams
Jackson
Van Buren



SC

[Gurndigarn]

and told us that anyone who put stock in information from any Kevin Costner film in history needed to be drawn and quartered.

One of the most amusing series of classes I've ever had was when he made us watch Dances With Wolves, and stopped quite often to point out exactly where the factual information was the opposite of its portrayal.

It's amazing how badly 1 shitty film distorted that period of history...

Less amazing when you take the one fact that I bolded into consideration.

[Dorath]

I got caught reading the 1st edition dieties and demigods in class once. Almost didn't get it back, she started reading it after assigning homework.

[JoitheArtist]

When we moved my husband counted our books: 1,172.

Wow! I estimate that i only own about 500...but then, I'm only 26, and single, so that's not too bad. And I reread a ton of mine--my mother has given up on getting me to ever get rid of any of my beloved books.

[Kal]

I'm probably looking at around 600 books myself, well maybe 700, I tend to guess rather than count. I also write a little, although only with a lulu published short book (it's a step up from vanity publishing only because I didn't have to pay to have it published), a couple of unfinished novels and a chunk of text-based online game to my name. One day (the plaintive proclamation of the perennial procrastinator) I might even finish the novels. :P

[taxguykarl]

I can't recall counting the books my folks had. I do remember finding three-count 'em 3-sets of Shakespear's complete works.

My mom is a teacher (now retired) and she reminiced how some teens were genuinely surprised and shocked that they we being held responsible for their actions.

In my days at the university, I noticed that every department seemed to have a Kingsfield wannabe; who deviates from the unwritten procedure of giving ground rules and a short lecture on the first day. Heaven help you if you did not read the chapter. In case you're wondering, I never even bought the books until after I saw the class syllabus. I've been burned by instructors who require the book but assign so little that photocopying that small section would have been cost-effective.

The one that still sticks out in my mind, gave his initials as a mneumonic. He noticibly mellowed after the deadline to drop without kissing the dean's ass (if you want a W instead of an F).

[Sheldonrs]

I've been reading 2-3 books per week for most of my life, including every text book from cover to cover I ever had. But I HATED school until college. I remember in 9th grade, I hated the school and the fellow "students" so much, I skipped school 109 out of 180 days. It's still a record in my town because they changed the rules after I left so now the limit is 3 unexcused days out only.
But I got a HUGE kick out of it when the teacher went from student to student at the end of the year to tell us, out loud, if we were graduating or not. I got a B average that year, even with only showing up for 71 days. I made sure to be there on test days. All the kids that made my life hell at that school flunked even though they had gone to class most of the time. They were PISSED at me for that.