I did what?

[moragmacpherson]

So, the cosmos works this way some times: today was both my posting day for sncross_bigbang (yay for being on the first day!), and the day that all of my term papers came due.  So right now, I'm just kind of limp, and I somehow managed to lose all three lighters I took to campus today, but all is well.  Apparently today was what I've been working for over the last five months, and yeah, get me a nap and a beer and then I shall be properly giddy.

In the meantime, Fun With Students.  I call this episode, "Socrates didn't tell me there'd be days like this, days like this"

Me:  The English colonists were a little bit obsessed with land, especially when compared to the colonists from France.  ::Looks at student::  Can you think of a reason why the English would, as a culture in general, be more obsessed with land than people from a place like France? ::Beholds vacant look::  Or Germany?  ::Vacant look isn't moving, so I give up hope of getting an explanation of the enclosure movement::   Okay, how's about this - geographically speaking, what is Britain - or England?  (The subtleties of that distinction are something we'll get to... oh, probably never, so I'll take either for now.)

Student:  ::Tilts head.  No really, she tilted her head:: Uh, what do you mean?

Me:  ::Smiling in a totally patient and non-threatening way::  I mean, if I showed you a map of England, what's the first thing that you would you say about it?

Student:  ::Pulls her lips to one side and looks down, and oh God, I know where this is going:: I, uh, I don't really know what England looks like.

Me:  ::Blinks, like an idiot, even though I knew where this was headed the second she gave me the head tilt::  Okay, okay, let's do it then.  ::Turns laptop screen to student::  Here it is, England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.  So what would you call England?

Student:  ::Leans in, stares as lousy map image for about fifteen seconds while I nearly pinch through skin controlling my temptation to snark::  Uh.  ::Looks again::  England, is, uh, surrounded by water?

Yes, that's right.  It's surrounded by water.

Comments

[morgentau.livejournal.com]

Owie, I think my head hurts.

[moragmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Could you please find a way to send your icon to several of my students? The fact that they're at university means that someone else isn't, and after yesterday that really kind of breaks my heart.