OK, this I just have to share with my readers. A student who has to identify a paragraph from a work of literature writes:
"This excerpt is from a novel called Don Quijote. The name of the writer is Cerveza." ("Cerveza" is Spanish for beer, in case you don't know.) I'm trying hard not to write on the margins that maybe drinking less cervezas will help the student remember the name of Cervantes.
11 comments:
But are you going to dock him for getting the name wrong (close, but wrong).
I've been known to make similar mistakes under exam conditions - sometimes, a name just won't stick with you.
If it's obvious to you that he 'knows' the authour of the piece, is that good enough, or do you demand exact perfection?
I warned them before the exam that titles of works and names of authors have to be learned. I'm taking 5% off for each one that is not correct.
You can't succeed in a Survey of Spanish Lit if you don't know the name of Cervantes.
As long as everyone knew the ground rules before entering, that seems perfectly reasonable.
Actually, most people did extremely well on the exam because we went over what was expected and what the format would be like in great detail before the exam.
I'm very proud of these kids, Cerveza notwithstanding. :-)
I'm sure if the student were made aware of the meaning of the word he wrote, he would never forget again. Even just reading about it, I'll always think of that last phrase when trying to remember Cervantes.
maybe she also wrote Cerveza on purpose thinking that if she doesn't know the name of the author, she can at least make me laugh.
"Borges es un escritorio argentino". Memorable quote from one student.
Especially for you, Spanish prof: what my students have to say about Argentineans:
"No matter what you are doing in Argentina, you are never safe or alone." (This is an analysis of Cortazar's Continuidad de los parques.)
"In the Argentinean society, it seems that when two people get together they can do some strange and crazy things."
(This is an analysis of El sur.)
:-)
Brilliant (specially Continuidad en los Parques)
A few more:
"Magical realism is a literary style where women do not go flying out of the ceiling"
"In the struggle between civilization and barbarism, Latin American countries often side with barbarism"
Thanks for thinking of me
I have the feeling that Cervantes would not have been too insulted. He must have imbibed as well.
WV: suggisot
Isn't this a Spanish lit college class? The students can't remember the name of the writer? That seems weird. My son is reading To Kill a Mockingbird and I expect that he should know the author is Harper Lee not General Lee (even though that would make me laugh.)
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