A Lass In London-town

Ce'st Bien, no?

I don't know if 'bien' is actually 'good' in French, but a nice mix of French and Spanish never hurt anyone, right? Unless there was some kind of ancient fueding war between their cultures that I'm ignoring.

Anyways, to get this party started: Today I realized how much I like my Sociology teacher (no, not in that way you sickos). Over here at Regent's College there is a massive problem with little rich kids who never show up to class. Or if they do, it's an hour and a half late. Usually the teachers can't do anything about it, because the kid will just pay to keep taking the class as many times as they have to, and eventually end up just buying their degree. It's ridculuous and the most annoying thing about this school. It's funny because then the teachers end up favoring the American students because their the only ones who show up for class on time and seem to have any respect for the teachers. Maybe because we're mostly middle class like them, or because somehow we've been raised to have more respect for authority than Europeans, I have absolutely no idea why it is the way it is.

Regardless, as most teachers simply let these students walk all over them with no reprecussions, today my Sociology teacher did something brilliant.

The first week of class after people started coming in at 2:00 when class starts at 1:30, he made a rule that anyone in 10 mins after class has started is absent. Not just tardy. Unfortunately even though their counted absent, their still there to learn the material and at least manage to show up for class to take the test.

Today he took it a step further. At 2:00 today with only 9 students out of 23 in attendance, he went to the Registry and cameback telling us that we were switching to another classroom, that way anyone who came in late wouldn't be able to find us, and therefor would really be absent, so that if they wanted to make it to class, they'd really have to make it on time, and then the rest of us wouldn't be contantly interrupted by people coming in late for the first half of class. I have a feeling he may do this a couple more times, which I think is fantastic.

It may seem really odd for me to be saying that (especially coming from a teacher's kid) but when you're here with these students it's amazing how much MORE respect you have for your teachers and the staff, so I don't blame them for being asses to the kids. If that's what they have to do, then that's what they have to do.

Oh yeah, the other reason I love my Soc. teacher is because today in class he mentioned "Crash" :)


Footnote: If you don't happen to know, I am absolutely in love with this film (I'm even using it as the basis for my presentation in my Film class). It is amazing, go out an watch it, but don't be so hasty to judge if it makes you a bit uncomfortable or angry, that's what it's supposed to do because people have to get angry to talk about things, and you have to be willing to discuss something to expect any sort of resolution. Stepping off the soap box now.

Okay one more thing, how much did that last line remind everyone of Mr. McConnell? Haha, sorry Reid.

posted by Steph @ 6:54 AM