Back and Forth
Student:
Hi…. I have a question about the essay part of the test. I am not to sure of what you mean when you say “explain why we study it”,,,I am not real sure of why we do and I haven’t been able to find an answer. If you could help me with this I would appreciate it.
Instructor:
What I mean is what are the things the book and I are pointing out about an object…why this object is important historically and art historically.
Think of the beginning of the Renaissance, we study Ghiberti and Brunelleschi’s two entries for the doors because it is a recorded competition that starts the Renaissance, it shows taste and style desired, Ghiberti uses half the bronze, etc.
Does that help?
Student:
Sort of. I guess I am just confused on why do we study it, in your lecture are you giving us the reasons why we study it?
Instructor:
Nothing is going to say: We study this because… I won’t usually say that either. All those things ARE why we choose a piece to look at.
Student:
I don’t get it.
Instructor:
Think of the piece as a document. What is it documenting? Is it a change in technique or style? What is new? Innovative? Does that help?
Student:
Yea. I guess I will just have to pay real close attention to what you say about the pieces that all.
Instructor:
Bangs head on desk. Wonders what the fuck she does every day.
October 30th, 2007 at 7:24 am
Luckily my students aren’t doing this to me this semester, but I think I know where this kind of stuff comes from. I was at the Nelson-Atkins in KC this past weekend and we were walking past a group of Isamu Noguchi sculptures. Five year old girl to mother: Who made these? Mother to daughter: I don’t know honey, Michelangelo or something. Let’s go.
I rest my case.
October 30th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
That’s just scary. When did students forget how to just make shit up when they don’t know the answer? At least that’s how I got through college. Didn’t everyone?
October 30th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Amy, YES.
I have no idea when faced with a PICTURE they can’t just blurt out crap on paper. I can. Show me ANY picture of anything, a beetle, a rock, your mama, I will spin a yarn about it.
October 31st, 2007 at 10:12 am
Yes, see, but what that student *wanted* was for you to say, “Here’s the answer, sweetie: and give him twenty-five words he could memorize and write down in the clear white space on his exam.” You, you evil woman, you were trying to make him think.
Don’t you know students aren’t required to do that anymore? The ability to think is not an objective! That is nothing we can do a true assessment on! It has no real world outcome! Please!
October 31st, 2007 at 11:03 am
Sadly, I don’t think they would bother to memorize it either. They can actually CHOOSE, ahead of time, which objects (from a very short list) they can write about for their three exam essays. So they can memorize the damn book and lectures regarding those objects….but, no.
Now, an index card with all the answers on it might work. Maybe. Remembering to bring the index card might prove to be “work.”