My mid-term test was returned by my Freshman year professor of English Lit. My grade was a D! How could that be?
I had answered most of the questions correctly. The final question was an essay question that asked:"What is your opinion of Edgar Allen Poe?" The professor had marked an "x" over my entire answer and counted this high percentage question as totally wrong.
Did I protest? Of course. How dare he ask my opinion and then count my answer incorrect! How could my OWN opinion be incorrect? His answer: "We have spent a lot of time on Poe these past several weeks and by now my opinion should be your opinion."
My grandson Michael has been given an assignment by his seventh grade teacher to draw a cartoon reflecting the student's feeling about the war in Iraq. Michael, an excellent artist by the way, has drawn a large U.S. Marine boot stepping on a Mosque. I haven't seen the picture but I know Michael's clear, concise and expressive work.
My daughter has given me the belief that his teacher has a less than favorable opinion of the war. Should Michael's mom encourage him to make a different cartoon or simply prepare him to anticipate a less then perfect score on his assignment or should they let him experience a life lesson by learning that educators asking for your opinion are setting traps.
wow...what a great question...I totally believe that Michael should stand his ground and turn it in the way he drew it. I think that is a VERY clever cartoon, by the way. I just hope that his teacher can step away from his/her biases and score it fairly.
ReplyDeleteI am always confronted with essays that include opinions vastly different than my own, but I NEVER let that get in the way of grading it for what it is. If they have organized it correctly, have a good thesis, have good examples that back up what they are writing, then the good grade is theirs, even if I don't agree with their opinion.
I say he should just hand it in. Perhaps it will be like one of those ink blots and be interpreted differently by each who view it. That teacher may well see the Imperial Power of the USA squashing the poor Iraqi's and terrifying the countryside. Others will view it differently -- just don't have anyone interpret it or give opinions ... let the teacher form his/her own.
ReplyDeleteOkay this one ticks me off - opinions are just that, opinions. There is no right or wrong answer. When teachers think their opinion should be your opinion we are creating a bunch of clones - not individuals who think for themselves. I believe we now call them "yes men and women". Those people who will agree with the person in charge wheither they agree or not. You deserve an A in that class.
ReplyDeleteRalph
Turn it in and raise hell:)
ReplyDelete