Questions from Students
This is becoming a tradition for me. I pass a sheet around class and have students ask anything they want. Here are this quarter's questions:
1. Are you Jamaican?
I am not. I was born in Nigeria, my mother is from Ghana, and my father is an American. I consider myself more Ghanaian than anything.
2. How long have you had your hair in dreads?
I had dreads from 1995-2000. Then I cut my hair. In Summer 2003, I decided to grow them out again. I started locking them in early 2004, and have had them since then.
3. How hard are your tests?
I've never liked this question, because I think how difficult something is really dependent on the student. My tests are not impossible, and if you put in the time studying, they are reasonable. I like to think that my tests are fair.
4. How long do your tests take?
About 1 hour.
5. How long have you been teaching?
I've been at De Anza since 2001. I taught at Michigan State University for 3 years (1998-2001) as a grad student and also as a full-time instructor.
6. Where are you from?
See question 1.
7. Could an Indian looking dude grow his hair out like yours?
Yes. I've seen people of all ethnicities with dreadlocks.
8. Is it ok for EDC students to use that tutoring service instead of the MPS one?
Of course. I think you should use any and all resources that are available to you.
9. Are you flexible on assignments?
As far as grading them? I think I'm a reasonable grader. As far as turning them in on time? I'm not flexible about due dates.
10. What University did you go to?
I got a B.S. and M.A. from Michigan State University. I started a Ph. D. at UC Berkeley, but didn't like it, so I was only there for one semester.
11. What's the meaning of life?
Besides the number 42, the meaning of life is to live it.
12. Ever think about dressing in throwback jerseys?
I'm not really into jerseys. They have never been my thing.
13. When did you grow up?
When I became a teacher, and was held responsible for other people's grades.
14. Can you cook veggies on your grill?
Sadly, I do not have a grill.
15. Why are you so smart?
If I told you, I would have to kill you :)
16. Are you related to the lead singer of Rage Against the Machine?
I'm not related to Zack de la Rocha, but I think he's a pretty cool guy.
17. Where are your parents from?
See question 1. They currently live in the Baltimore, Maryland area.
18. Do you have extra credit assignments?
Not really. You can get extra credit by doing homework problems on the board and explaining them to the class.
19. Have you read Lonesome Dove?
I have not. I'm not much of a reader, unless it's short stories. The last book I finished was In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote.
20. Why do people care so much about your hair?
I have have absolutely no idea.
21. How old are you?
I am 30.
22. Do you want to have kids?
Someday.
23. Can I come to your wedding?
Our wedding will be very small, but we are planning to have a big reception next summer. If you want to come to that, let me know.
24. Why did you choose to teach math?
It's a long story. I was really good at math, and chose the major because I didn't know what else to major in, and it came easy to me.
When I was finishing up my B.S., I seriously considered working in industry, as a consultant, and even got a job offer. I decided it was not what I wanted to do, but I didn't know what to do, so I went to grad school, in applied mathematics.
As part of my grad program, to get money, I had to teach a class. It was the scariest thing I had ever done, because I'm a really quiet person (I was voted the quietest person in my senior class, in high school). Anyhow, it scared me, and so I worked really hard at it, and lost a lot of sleep stressing about each day of class. I would wake up at 4 every morning, worried about what I was going to teach that day.
One day, a few weeks into the class, there was a stranger in the back of the room. This freaked me out. It turned out she was the instructor evaluator, who had to make sure people were doing their job correctly.
After class, she came up to me and said "Have you ever taught before?". I said no. She said, "Wow, you're a natural up there. You're an excellent teacher". That was it. I now knew what I wanted to do. I switched from applied math to math education, got my M.A., and became a math teacher. I still lose sleep thinking about classes once in a while, but I love what I do.
1. Are you Jamaican?
I am not. I was born in Nigeria, my mother is from Ghana, and my father is an American. I consider myself more Ghanaian than anything.
2. How long have you had your hair in dreads?
I had dreads from 1995-2000. Then I cut my hair. In Summer 2003, I decided to grow them out again. I started locking them in early 2004, and have had them since then.
3. How hard are your tests?
I've never liked this question, because I think how difficult something is really dependent on the student. My tests are not impossible, and if you put in the time studying, they are reasonable. I like to think that my tests are fair.
4. How long do your tests take?
About 1 hour.
5. How long have you been teaching?
I've been at De Anza since 2001. I taught at Michigan State University for 3 years (1998-2001) as a grad student and also as a full-time instructor.
6. Where are you from?
See question 1.
7. Could an Indian looking dude grow his hair out like yours?
Yes. I've seen people of all ethnicities with dreadlocks.
8. Is it ok for EDC students to use that tutoring service instead of the MPS one?
Of course. I think you should use any and all resources that are available to you.
9. Are you flexible on assignments?
As far as grading them? I think I'm a reasonable grader. As far as turning them in on time? I'm not flexible about due dates.
10. What University did you go to?
I got a B.S. and M.A. from Michigan State University. I started a Ph. D. at UC Berkeley, but didn't like it, so I was only there for one semester.
11. What's the meaning of life?
Besides the number 42, the meaning of life is to live it.
12. Ever think about dressing in throwback jerseys?
I'm not really into jerseys. They have never been my thing.
13. When did you grow up?
When I became a teacher, and was held responsible for other people's grades.
14. Can you cook veggies on your grill?
Sadly, I do not have a grill.
15. Why are you so smart?
If I told you, I would have to kill you :)
16. Are you related to the lead singer of Rage Against the Machine?
I'm not related to Zack de la Rocha, but I think he's a pretty cool guy.
17. Where are your parents from?
See question 1. They currently live in the Baltimore, Maryland area.
18. Do you have extra credit assignments?
Not really. You can get extra credit by doing homework problems on the board and explaining them to the class.
19. Have you read Lonesome Dove?
I have not. I'm not much of a reader, unless it's short stories. The last book I finished was In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote.
20. Why do people care so much about your hair?
I have have absolutely no idea.
21. How old are you?
I am 30.
22. Do you want to have kids?
Someday.
23. Can I come to your wedding?
Our wedding will be very small, but we are planning to have a big reception next summer. If you want to come to that, let me know.
24. Why did you choose to teach math?
It's a long story. I was really good at math, and chose the major because I didn't know what else to major in, and it came easy to me.
When I was finishing up my B.S., I seriously considered working in industry, as a consultant, and even got a job offer. I decided it was not what I wanted to do, but I didn't know what to do, so I went to grad school, in applied mathematics.
As part of my grad program, to get money, I had to teach a class. It was the scariest thing I had ever done, because I'm a really quiet person (I was voted the quietest person in my senior class, in high school). Anyhow, it scared me, and so I worked really hard at it, and lost a lot of sleep stressing about each day of class. I would wake up at 4 every morning, worried about what I was going to teach that day.
One day, a few weeks into the class, there was a stranger in the back of the room. This freaked me out. It turned out she was the instructor evaluator, who had to make sure people were doing their job correctly.
After class, she came up to me and said "Have you ever taught before?". I said no. She said, "Wow, you're a natural up there. You're an excellent teacher". That was it. I now knew what I wanted to do. I switched from applied math to math education, got my M.A., and became a math teacher. I still lose sleep thinking about classes once in a while, but I love what I do.
posted by Jefferson at 12:28 PM
2 Comments:
i typically ask everyone if they have read Lonesome Dove, mostly my indie rock heroes after shows, but also passerby, and now, math teacher.
Yes, I'm THAT much of a nerd that I'm replying to my teacher's blog, but I just wanted to say thanks for answering those questions, Jefferson! ^_^ I want to become a teacher myself (Not sure which, but either Elementery School or Speical Ed (Because I'm LD in Math, I know how frusterating it can be)) Luckily, I have been getting better with understanding it; I just hope I can pass this class OK!
However, with thinking of teaching,
since I'm kinda shy and have some anxeity around people, I don't know how I'd be able to do all that...But your words encouraged me to go for it, so thank you. ^_^
~Caroline Klawender
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