Thursday, May 03, 2007

All Done?

So... if all's well, I have finished with my graduate studies. I'm still awaiting grades, but I should have earned an MFA. Now, I'm just waiting on word of whether I've been accepted into a university run internship program. If not, I'll be working some crap jobs until I figure out what I can get.

On the bright side, we had the great pleasure of filling out course evaluations for the worst professor I've ever had today. I typed up a supplement to the questions because my answers were too long to write in a timely fashion, and I doubted I would remember all of my sentiments. It just so happens I was correct: I did not save the supplement, and I've forgotten the wording.

As best as I can recall, it contained some of the following:

  • The instructor failed to adequately explain concepts through inconsistency and incomprehensibility. For example, he would admonish against "doing psychology" while at the same time asking what a character in a film was feeling.
  • The instructor was quite willing to entertain debate if said debate did not stray from his preconceived notions. Should it stray, he would condescend to the student who held the differing opinion and quickly move on to another topic.
  • I have not done extensive searching, but I believe I coined the term 'sycophantastic' when taking up the question of this instructor's treatment of students. He treats his sycophantastic students and auditors well, lavishing them with praise. The others are, as mentioned above, condescended to or discounted entirely.
  • On a related note, his grading is far from fair. I believe I will receive a moderately good grade because I spewed out whatever drivel he wished to hear by using careful notes to get as far into his head as I could stomach. Others who had more integrity, spoke their own ideas and were penalized for it. This could have something to do with his stated belief that there are "right" and "wrong" interpretations of films and other works of art.
  • The worst part of the course was the instructor. The course could be improved if it were taught by a different instructor who was more willing to entertain opposing views.

I think those were the main points. It had quite a bit more text and was, perhaps, much better worded. I am pleased I, as far as I know, coined the term sycophantastic and hope to see it, with proper attribution, used in the future.

Edit: I just did some searching, and, sadly, I am not the coiner of the term. I apparently need to get out more.

1 comment:

Brandon said...

Congrats. I have a semester yet. And what career are you hoping to make with your new-found degree?