NetNews Offline 2/NetNews Offline Volume 2.iso/news/comp/lang/c-part2/13142

Text File | 1996-08-05 | 2.7 KB | 63 lines

Path: sun001.spd.dsccc.com!jmccarty
From: [e-mail] (Mike McCarty)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: Very Simple <maths.h> problem...
Date: 4 Apr 1996 22:27:34 GMT
Organization: DSC Communications Corporation
Message-ID: <4k1icm$[e-mail]>
References: <4jf0c9$[e-mail]> <4jhqaa$[e-mail]> <[e-mail]>
NNTP-Posting-Host: sun1307.spd.dsccc.com

In article <[e-mail]>, Mark Charette  <[e-mail]> wrote:
)Usman Muzaffar wrote:
)>
)>
)> I'm not sure I understand the reasoning behind forcing people to read FAQs.
)> It doesn't help. Instead of getting the same stupid newbie questions over and
)> over again, we just get angry experts yelling at people to read FAQs.
)
)A very long time ago, when I taught computer programming, I told
)my classes there was such a thing as a stupid question. Not doing the
)reading assignments and asking a question the next day about a subject
)that was explicitly covered in the textbook ('is the word "for"
)in the C language?' ) showed me and the class how stupid the person
)was. A question showing the book had been read but there was a lack of
)understanding was a good question, and one of the reasons a teacher
)is there.
)--
)Mark Charette         "Languages come; languages go--only Fortran is for
)Mika Systems, Inc      the ages." - Jim Glass
)[e-mail]     http://www.mika.com


Well, Mark, when I taught college a very long time ago, I taught my
students that there were no stupid questions. There are, however, people
who are stupid. You seem to be one of the latter.

Attempting to control a class' behavior through intimidation,
humiliation, and degradation only causes the students to lose respect
for the professor.

I =never= had a problem with student's doing what you describe. When
students would show that their problem was due to laziness, I took them
aside =outside= of class, and asked them whether they had actually read
the lesson. Most admitted they had not. I would then discuss with them
the probability of failure. These students normally caught on and began
to work. Those who would not readily admit to not reading, would, after
a few pointed questions about the chapter content, show that they had
not, after which I would give them the same spiel as the first group.
Normally once was enough to cause all questions asked in class to show a
modicum of study had been done. The ones who refused to study outside of
class did not want a repeat of the first conversation.

Belittling people does =not= in all liklihood accomplish what you want.
Treating people with respect =does=.

Mike

--
----
char *p="char *p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}";main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}

I don't speak for DSC.         <- They make me say that.