A church by my house, delicately decorated in snow (2/16/2010)
A decision needs to be made with regard to Essay #1. Please read the post and submit your comment(s). We won't have time next week to discuss this in class; I will make my decision based on the comments posted before we meet next week, so make sure you let your voice be heard by posting your comment(s). Thank you!!
PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
ON OUR SNOW DAY QUANDARY**
PSYCHOLOGICAL CRITICISM HOMEWORK: Homework due tonight is still due -- and will be collected next class on Thursday, March 4th. Please do NOT send in an e-mail. I'm presuming everyone has their homework ready -- if you didn't do your homework, you've got an extra week to complete it! :)
ESSAY #1: As we have missed tonight's class because of snow, and Spring Break is in two weeks, and Essay #2 is due March 25th (the week after Spring Break) I am in a quandary as to what to do about Essay #1. These are the options I have come up with:
- Eliminate Essay #1 altogether, and then Essay #2, #3 and #4 will all be required (and you will not have the option you do now to make Essay #3 or Essay #4 optional for extra credit).
- Presume that everyone did their homework due tonight (2/24/2010) and that everyone now has a working understanding of the Psychological Criticism, and reassign Essay #1 in next week's class to be due the following week (3/11/2010) (thereby keeping the option you currently have to make Essay #3 or Essay #4 optional for extra credit.) However, because we need to move forward with our syllabus, there will be no time in class to discuss the Psychological Criticism or A&P.
- I can't think of a third option . . . do you have a suggestion?
Please comment below as to what you think would be a fair and equitable resolution to our quandary. (Remember to put your first name and last initial on the post, or it will be rejected and not posted on the blog.) I look forward to your feedback!
BTW, we won't have time next week to discuss this in class; I will make my decision based on the comments posted before we meet next week, so make sure you let your voice be heard by posting your comment(s). Thank you!!
** Definitions of quandary on the Web:
- predicament: a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one; "finds himself in a most awkward predicament ...
- dilemma: state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn - A state of not knowing what to decide; a state of difficulty or perplexity; a state of uncertainty, hesitation or puzzlement; a pickle; a predicament; A dilemma, a difficult decision or choice
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/quandary - a condition of doubt or uncertainty as to what to do in a certain situation
www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Clerks
Hi Professor.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the three options, I think it would be best to eliminate this essay altogether. The subject of psychological criticism is a broad one, and one that I think requires a lot of discussion to fully understand. Although the overview you gave us last week was helpful, I still have some questions that I feel would need to be answered in order to write an essay that is both accurate and thoughtful. Also, eliminating this essay would perhaps also eliminate some people's need to do extra credit, as this topic is quite challenging and would most likely result in more than a few less than outstanding grades. Thank you so much for taking our opinions into consideration.
-Zoe D.
i think we should skip essay #1 and just move onto #,2,3 & 4.
ReplyDeleteAshley C
I agree with Zoe and Ashley. Eliminate Essay 1. But I also find it difficult that we dont have option for an extra credit essay because Im sure I am going to need extra credit. But if eliminating Essay 1 means we lose the extra credit than so be it. Quite frankly I dont understand psychological criticism so it works out well for me at least.
ReplyDeleteMichelle A.
Eliminating Essay #1 would be very helpful and just move on with the other three essays. However, eliminating the extra credit will be a big lost. I didn't understand psychological criticism so I guess this option is the best.
ReplyDelete-Diego V.
I think it should be left to the students that want to do the Essay #1 because they might want to have the extra credit and get a better grade, or see what essays are like for you. if you mess up on the first Essay you can still do better on the next Essays but at least you will know how the Essays are graded and what people need to work on and if you do well then it will be easier for students to still have that choice of not doing Essay #3 or #4 !!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Nadiya. We should be able to do Essay #1 as extra credit and then the next three can be our required assignments. This way if we should have any trouble on the first, it won't count for part of our grade, but we would have a better understanding of what to do for the following Essays...Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAlephia A.
The problem with assigning Essay #1 for extra credit is that several students have indicated they still don't understand the psychological criticism sufficient to do well on an essay, and because of the reasons mentioned in the post, we need to move on with the curriculum. Essay #1 needs to be dropped altogether, or assigned to everyone -- it wouldn't be fair to the students who don't feel comfortable with the criticism to keep it for extra credit. I could create another essay topic that students could write on for extra credit (as long as they have turned in Essays #2, #3 and #4.)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Zoe she said it best!!!! Victor W.
ReplyDeletei agree with the last comment of the professor everybody has to be in the same page.. and yes it is hard for me the essay #1 so let's move on....
ReplyDeleteMelissa Hernandez
I stongly agree with Zoe and Ashley. Let's move on to essays #2, #3 and #4.
ReplyDeleteMarie E.
After reading all the comments made by my fellow students in class, I will suggest that, we should move on with the curriculum as already planned for the semester.The unfortunate issue is that, some of us understood the psychological criticism very well and would have done very well on that but the weather affected the whole situation which is nobody`s fault. I would suggest to the Professor to still consider "essay 1" as an extra credit and give an exact date to present it for extra credit. That way,some of us will who took your explanation in class seriously will not feel that we listened to you in vain and would also not be disappointed. This is only a suggestion and may the best idea prevail. thank you
ReplyDeleteAndrew O.A
Thank you, everybody, for your comments. Based on the comments received, I'm going to dump Essay #1. I still haven't decided how I will implement the opportunity for the extra-credit essay, but let me ruminate on it over the next few days and I'll announce my decision in class next week.
ReplyDelete