Math 210 Section 3 - Second Summer Session - Day 1

[gray_ghost]

Only 17 students!!!!! YES!!!!!!

I didn't realize until I stepped into the classroom how nervous I was that I could potentially be facing a class of 150 students. I guess there isn't as much demand for the summer courses here.
It's nice having a small number of students...because I get to know everyone's name. Everyone looked like they were juniors or seniors who need the course to graduate - so no freshmen who think they are still in high school to contend with. On the downside, it kind of fucks up the curve if there are one or two who have had calculus in hs and then decided to go into philosophy or music, while the rest of them are struggling with reducing fractions and having panic attacks on the tests.

Copied part of my syllabus from a prior instructor who taught this course last year. This line, under attendance: NO ABSENCES WILL BE EXCUSED IN THIS CLASS! I think I made a mistake doing that, because my resolve crumbled after student came up to ask me what to do because she needed to go to family reunion or something next week. I was like - well do hw....just turn it in later when you get back.

I've noticed a trend among older math teachers. If they are primarily teaching and not doing research, they slowly morph into Nazi death camp guards ("Math will make you free!"). If they are into research, they become easily distracted and slightly spacey (or sometimes completely spacey). There has to be a path between the two extremes.

Well actually there is a third type: the professor who is super-introvert (takes Maalox before lecture) and is terrified of his class. They hide behind the podium and clutch it for dear life, venturing out occassionally to write on the board. With their back to the class.

Topic for this week's discussion: How capitalist pig credit card companies make you pay them for the priviledge of using your own money. Oh, and usury and how it is coming back in vogue (those Quickie Loan places that surround military bases like packs of vultures). Compound interest baby! It's a killer!