the no sshls rule

Been thinking of boiling my course policies down to something short and clear. Something like the best selling book, The No Asshole Rule (written by Stanford business prof Robert Sutton - and winner of the 2007 Quill award for best business book - based on his popular essay written for the Harvard Review). I thought it was brilliant and funny. (buy here at amazon - and/or read additional review of text).

He makes a great case for using the A word, but not sure I can get by with it. But does jerkwad have the same impact? Isn't D-bag even more offensive and probably sexist?

If 3 to 4% of the population is sociopath (as scientists/psychologists argue) then we can't doubt jerkwads exist. Most of them aren't clinically anti-social so the percent of jerkwads is way more than 5%. In college it has a lot to do with maturity - and/or lack of it. Learning to think of those other than oneself is a big step - and considering the prefrontal cortex doesn't finish developing until the mid-20's - and that's necessary to see the consequences of actions.

Is one of the roles of / goals of/ objectives of college to recognize and avoid jerkish behavior? Should it be?

I say yes. It is addressed in comp student learning objectives as: tone, audience awareness, peer work and collaboration and effective communication. When one is a jerkwad - that is the only message received by one's audience. Any other intention is rendered moot.

To that effect, rules about use of cell phones, sleeping in class, tardiness and all other passive aggressive and disruptive behavior should be consistently applied....but...

It gets wrapped up in power or control, doesn't it.

questions for classes

• What behaviors in class qualify as jerkwadish? Why? How do the affect the class?
• Does every class have jerkwads? What percent of the school population in general are jerkwads?
• What about teachers? What behavior have you seen in instructors that qualifies as jerkwadish?
• Is it merely manners? Are manners related or not and how or why?
• 
  

Expectations

I always have great advice at the end of a semester, but at the begining of a semster I want to build group dynamics and assess.... next semester I plan on having students read all my posts labeled "advice" and do an annotated bibliography.

Re: ANGEL. to recap my syllabus, my courses are neither self-paced nor online. Most material is online, but we work in classrooms and attendance is mandatory. ANGEL hates Macintoshes. If you work on one at home you should plan on uploading your papers on campus on a PC. Upload in MSword. Turning in wps. is files antisocial and passive aggressive. It never pays to be like that to an instructor.

You do not need to own a computer to take my class - but in the real world we write on word processors of some sort. No one on a college level - in the United States - has accepted handwritten work for 50 years - and good luck finding a typewriter. My classrooms next semester have computers and there are ample labs on campus. If you don't do class work in class don't expect me to accept it for participation points if it's turned in late. Sometimes I'll say I'll accept work for the next 12 or 36 hours - but that's on you - and if it gets turned in. If a computer doesn't cooperate - or if you submit an unreadable file... that's on you. Excuses are irrelevant. Had it been done in class it would have worked.

To quote the Yoda, "You either do or do not. There is no 'try.'"

And don't expect me to hound students about missing work or showing up on time, or even just showing up. I notice. I keep records. It affects grades. It's up to each individual student to keep their own records and discipline themselves.

Acceptable language

From the age of 10 until I started teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) I swore like a drunken muleskinner (the coarseness of muleskinner invective can make a sailor blush). College classes in general and English classes in particular are tolerant of crude or graphic language, but some understanding and agreement early on is warranted.

I will cede to the will of the class with 2 codicils: blasphemy and hate speech/ labels - blasphemy because it is for many the ultimate show of contempt, and also because it tends to end dialogue. "But how," you might ask. "can you get away with the picture in this post?" I'll argue context. I might also admit to irony. I like irony. Sarcasm, however, bores me.

Hate speech can be tricky. Used to be being in or of a referenced group provided immunity - but Perez Hilton suffered physically and in public opinion since he called Will.I.Am a "f***** NOTE: in blogging there is a practice of disemvoweling text that often works. But sometimes, as in the n word, even that wouldn't be adequate.)

Does the law recognize "fighting words"?

My sentiment - avoid labels. To paraphrase Nietzsche, when you label someone, you negate them. Being negated bites. Labels of race, gender, and/or sexuality carry mondo baggage; however, we live in an imperfect world and this is a learning environment. Mistakes are inevitable, so be tolerant and open-minded. When someone slips up be calm in bringing it to their attention, but don't avoid helping someone learn something useful. For fun and a discussion point, go to this wiki page.

PS. Can anyone tell me where I took this picture?