Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Used Up Blog Titles

I was going to call this "Another Day," but I've used that before, so I can't. Today I started talking about District 9. I had some interesting comparisons of that text with our previous one, Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and that amused them for a while, but getting into a new text, especially a film, can be difficult at times, especially when the film is a borderline action flick. But all the same, there are interesting techniques in the film and some intriguing themes that go well with the previous text and the next one, The Metamorphosis (Kafka).
I am about half-way through grading the paper set, and I promised to give it back tomorrow. I guess I better get going on that.

4 comments:

marly said...

I've only watched the "short" version that led to District 9 as yet... Mentioning Kafka and school made me remember this:

http://www.mindingthecampus.com/originals/2010/06/message_to_freshmen_lets_start.html

Hope you are getting some rest, Robbi.

Lou said...

So how are the essays? I am eager for a report!

Robbi N. said...

The essays were harder to grade than usual. It's not that they were worse, but it felt like a squeeze, getting into the new text and grading most of the paper set in one or two days. That's anxiety provoking for me, especially since I left all my notes on District 9 and the week's plans for classes in the classroom by mistake yesterday, and then Jeremy needed me to help him write a report for Human Development. I was up till almost midnight (very very late for me) and got up at 4:30 AM (actually, I laid there till 5:15) to do the rest. Then I decided I couldn't cover the hours I was supposed to at the Center and get ready for class, returning the papers today because another set of drafts for the movie will come in on Tuesday. Kurt covered them, thank goodness!
I found the papers okay, not great. Considering all the discussion we did on that book, they should have been better, but there were improvements over the draft. There was at least one person I just had to tell to hang it up; summer Wr. 1 is not for her. And two infuriating guys, the type who sit at the back of the room and come in late and walk in and out constantly, came in 3/4 of the way through class today. I got really mad and gave it to one of them. I know what they will say. They are shameless.

Robbi N. said...

Marly,
I understand that the short film this guy made is really not like the full length one at all. I haven't seen it though. It is heavy on profanity and violence, but it is interesting because of its use of multiple kinds of perspectives (newscam, mockumentary, multiple screens, security camera, tv, etc). The assignment isn't difficult, and they should be able to knock it out in a week, if they watch the film several times. Otherwise they don't have a prayer.
RE: rest, there's no time to rest. But I am thinking of asking the college if I can back off on some of those hours for second summer sessions. I need to process what has happened.