In a message dated 10/1/98, Anna ?? <[log in to unmask]> wrote
>Well said Sheri, Many people have the propensity to make gross
generalisations >based on their own opinions.
***What I wrote was seriously misinterpreted - I made no generalisation that
all students are lazy or fail to display evidence of prior work. I stated
that "There SEEMS to be a very disquieting increase ...". Once again I have
to stress that my letter was aimed solely at those students (yes, they
certainly DO exist, despite what 'Anna' implies) who are significantly less
diligent than others.
I love, support, devote much of my spare time to, encourage, provide endless
references to, have out-of-town students stay in our home, raise financial
support for and never close my office door to any students who are diligent,
sincere and dedicated to their studies, but, equally well, I most emphatically
will let lazy students who are squandering some wonderful brains know that
their sort of behaviour is not the most appropriate at a respected academic
institution.
>if anything, I would be more irritated by graduates who would do such things
>as described by McSiff
***I really am curious to know which of my hints would irritate Anna. The
things which I suggested in my original list were:
1. Introduce oneself to strangers
2. Clearly states the problem
3. Lets potential helpers know what work has already been done
4. Shares information with others who have helped
5. Thanks anyone who has given help
6. Addresses anyone respectfully
7. Organises the problem so that it can be readily understood
Which of these hints is so dreadful that it would cause irritation to anyone?
>Don't let people like McSiff put you off asking. His intention is probably
>not to be arrogant or patronising although that seems to come over even
>in print.
***How ironic those words, for regrettably, that is how Anna comes across to
me!
In contrast to my positive criticism which provided some very tangible help to
students in the form of those websites alone, Anna offered a fair amount of
destructive criticism of my person. What is more lamentable is that we don't
even have the privilege of knowing who 'Anna' is (first point on my list of
hints, by the way) - we would enjoy knowing you as a colleague, not an
Internet cipher.
Nuff said!
Dr Mel C Siff
Littleton, Colorado, USA
[log in to unmask]
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|