FAQs at the Semester

As the semester draws to a close, the two most commonly asked questions that I get asked are:

"What can I do to pass the class?"

My usual response: "Let's see what you could have done to pass my class..."

"Is there any extra credit I can do?"

My response: "I don't do extra credit."


And today's kicker question came from a Filipino student, who, after having explained to her that late work will result with a late penalty of ten points, asked me: "How about five points? Come on... It's about the Pinay hook-up..."

I uttered back: "I don't do racial hook-ups."

Causing Raucous

I participated in my first staff meeting. Participated meaning that I spoke out for the first time. I'm usually a passive person when it comes to faculty meetings, but I became frustrated when other teachers began bashing the English Department. You don't want to go there...

I tried to be objective, but the tone of my voice may have been misconstrued as "venting anger." First of all, the meeting was held in a large resonant room, but for the life of me, I still couldn't hear half of the people on the other side whenever they spoke. When I decided to speak out, I had to use my "teacher voice" in order to be heard. My loud voice must have been misinterpretted as the "angry teacher standing up for the department" as showed by some very strange emails circulating around the English Department praising me and an apology from the teacher who started up the issue that got me fired up in the first place.

I didn't mean to sound like a bitch, but in the end, somehow I always do. I hope that I'm not remembered as the bitch English teacher of the department--or even worse--of the entire faculty. And I hope this doesn't count against me during my probationary period.

2005

I'd like to say that the old drama from 2004 didn't follow me into the new year, but it has. The shit hit the fan and it's already looking pretty grim.