Archives for 1994

This month I am studying “English Literature (British and Commonwealth)”

The class is ploddingly slow and we “have to discuss everything.”

I think this will be my last month in attendance.

I’ve already read all of the material in the first month. Done the standard AS-level essays (and got the highest marks) and now it’s just discussion and waiting for grades.

Typically bad comprehensive school-style of teaching that I was always bored with.

Here’s the ridiculously funny anecdote: I wanted to sit the English Literature A-level class. But they decided that I wasn’t smart enough because I didn’t have an English O-level. Even though I pointed out that I have both a Hnd and a BSc apparently these two university level qualifications are insufficient for me to prove I can read and comprehend English at a comprehensive school level.

So the only way I could take English Literature is that the teachers and enrollment officer reluctantly agreed that I could study AS-level, but I would have to keep the highest grades in the class out of all the students.

Typical fucking educational establishment bullshit. “You have to be better than everyone else to prove you’re worthy to be here, you little person.”

Typical fucking egotistical “I am the keeper of knowledge and you must genuflect and prostrate yourself at my feet to be allowed to partake of my wisdom.”

This is the quintessential point of everything that is wrong with education.

Update: Here’s the bullshit. “You have to slow down. I cannot give you the essay questions (to write) ahead of everyone else as they aren’t ready to do them yet. Just because you’re ready to do them, it doesn’t mean other people are and it wouldn’t be fair to them.”

Fuck your stupid inane logic.

You tell me to prove myself. I prove myself. Then you chastise me and try to slow me down because other people aren’t ready.

Here’s the clincher for me…

We were given the assignment of write a 500 word essay on character motivation from Death of a Salesman on Monday.

We have two weeks to complete the essay.

I ask “can we write more?”

The teacher says “Yes, but I doubt that you will.”

Every assignment I’ve handed in has been “more” and I’ve gotten extra points for doing “more.”

Every essay I’ve aced so far.

This teacher knows this – she has seen me do it for the past three essays.

I’ve done “more” to prove I am worthy to be in her stupid fucking class.

On Wednesday I hand in the completed essay.

I hand in a 500 word essay on the character’s motivations.

I hand in an extra 400 words supporting my thesis that is “optional reading” for whoever is marking the work.

The teacher had marked my paper by the end of the class.

I was surprised.

This teacher is notoriously slow for marking papers.

I got an “F.”

Automatic failure.

Why?

“Because I don’t believe you did the work. I don’t know how you cheated, but you obviously did. Nobody completes my essays that fast.”

“Did you read it?” I asked.

“I didn’t need to. I just failed you.”

My response: “Fuck you, you bitch.”

And I walked out.

 

This month I am studying “English Literature (British and Commonwealth)”

Essays it is.

And discussions.

Lots of hours wasted on discussing what the author meant.

I’m sorry but if the author says “The curtains were blue” then he meant the fucking curtains were fucking blue.

He was not talking about his tortured soul or lamenting his lost love.

This month I am studying “English Literature (British and Commonwealth)”

Decided to enroll in an AS-level college course in English literature.

Wanted to do the A level course, but they said I wasn’t smart enough.

Update: Finished all of the reading material – four books and two plays.

So now what?

We write essays on our thoughts?