This post is dedicated to Bitchie Lou, a student from a few years ago whose babyish behavior, constant whining,  and terrible manners have earned her the title of “Worst Student I’ve Ever Had, So Far.” This is not a title I want to ever have to bestow again, so don’t get any ideas, students dear.

Post is written from Bitchie Lou’s own point of view, which everyone in the class came to know well because she ranted about it every Tuesday night that semester.  Seriously, every one of us knew her ways so well, we could have ordered for her in any restaurant, and while I do, on occasion, take my students to a restaurant, I didn’t dare for this group lestone of us poison her food just to shut her up.

I swear, Bitchie Lou was some kind of agent for NCLB, because her philosophies sure sounded a lot like some of the babbling idiocrities philosophies that came regularly from my old public school administration.

Bitchie Lou is enshrined in my memory not merely because she was such a whining hag, but also because I was able to witness the greatest incident of peer pressure-to-the-rescue in my entire career.  Thanks again, “that class,” for rising to the occasion and letting Bitchie Lou know, in no uncertain and in many awesome terms, that you didn’t have any intention of putting up with her crap.  I still smile when I think about her expression when you all rose up and told her off.  Sometimes, when I think of it, I still laugh out loud.

I couldn’t have done it, but my class had no such restrictions.

Peer pressure:  it ain’t all bad.

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Why Is There So Much Discussion In A College Classroom?

I did not come here for discussion.
I came here to be taught what the textbook has in it.

The opinions and input of other students can’t possibly be of any importance to me.
What could they know that I don’t already know?

I resent the time taken up by discussion.
I want facts.
Facts.

There won’t be 100% agreement in any discussion.
It’s a waste of my time.
I really don’t care what my classmates have to say.
I want facts.

What if we don’t finish the textbook?
What if all this discussion means we don’t have the time to finish the book?
I don’t think I can deal with that possibility.
I want facts. I want closure.

Every class, so far, has had far too much discussion.
I don’t like it.
It makes me nervous.
I feel as though we’re wasting time.
MY time.
My valuable, expensive time.

Learning to listen to what other people have to say is not important to me.
Only facts, and saving time and money, are important.
Aren’t they what makes the world go around?
Other people’s thoughts make me angry.

Sometimes, what somebody else says makes me question my own values.  
This must not happen!
I was taught that MY values are the important values.

College is for FACTS!

My classmates are trying to make me turn from my values!
The professor is wasting my time.
Sometimes, she joins in with her own opinions.
Why would she do this,
Unless it was to try to change me?

It’s almost as though the professor was trying to get people to talk ON PURPOSE!
I know, though, that she’s just wasting everybody’s time
With nonsense.

All my life, I’ve been made to listen to other people.
They talk about things I’m not interested in.
In a college classroom, shouldn’t there be some respite from that?

I don’t want to talk in here, either.
I just want to plow through the textbook and do worksheets.
Isn’t that what we’re all here for?

I don’t CARE what my classmates THINK about anything.
Sure, the textbooks at this level seem to point us toward discussion.
Sometimes, the topic almost BEGS discussion.
That doesn’t mean we should discuss it.
It’s just the way the examples and sentences are put together.
I do not believe this book really wants us to discuss points that are on almost every page.
They’re just trying to make a dull subject more interesting for us.
I’m interested in the subject matter, not discussion.
I paid for subject matter, not discussion.
I wish everyone would just shut up.
SHUT UP, classmates!
Let me plod through our book and learn from it.
You’re distracting me.
My already-made-up-mind resents your discussion.
I don’t like distractions.
I don’t like your opinions.
I don’t care about your thoughts.
I only care about myself, and MY opinions.

My opinion is
That all of you should be quiet
And let the professor guide us through our very expensive textbook
Without any discussion
Without any opinions
Without any talking

Because I, personally, don’t like it.
I DON’T LIKE IT.

It’s almost as though you all were trying to. . . .

Make me think.

And that’s just too hard.

I’d rather be led.