I said:
>> just saying that we also ought to remember that a lot of students have
>> goals that a) require us to give them an idea about what to do and study
>> and b) require us to give them some sort of approval about how they did it.
And Marcy said (among other things):
>
> I'd agree with Steve here, except that: While I'd say that
>students need us to give them feedback about how they accomplished a
>task, but I wouldn't call that feedback "approval." I don't think
>people ought to be put in the position of seeking approval from another
>adult after the age of, oh, thirteen or so. It strikes me that the
>relationship of two adults, one of whom is more accomplished in one area
>than the other, and from whom the other seeks to learn something, is much
>more respectful and considered than relationships where one party is in a
>position to approve of another. I know that Steve didn't mean to imply
>that we ought to condescend, or anything of the sort. But the linking of
>grades and approval makes me _real_ nervous.
>
Fair enough-- and you're right, I didn't mean approval that way. Other
words that come to mind are "certification," or "liscensing," or
"passing." I'm not real fond of any of those either...
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Steve Krause * Department of English * Southern Oregon State College
1250 Siskiyou Blvd. * Ashland, OR 97520 * Office Phone: 541-552-6630
School e-mail: krause@wpo.sosc.osshe.edu * Personal e-mail: krause@mind.net
WWW: http://ernie.bgsu.edu/~skrause/Steve.html
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