tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671815.post6494366388462838718..comments2024-02-07T03:12:59.031-05:00Comments on Blogenspiel: NaBloPoMo 15 -- halfway doneAnother Damned Medievalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231085915472400163noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671815.post-5492514491806983312010-11-22T19:23:31.579-05:002010-11-22T19:23:31.579-05:00I recently tried a new approach in class where I t...I recently tried a new approach in class where I <i>think</i> I forced them to get it; maybe you'd find it helpful? Here goes:<br /><br />We were reading that Hugh of Lusignan narrative where he goes on and on about how his lord William of Aquitaine keeps going back on his word, and he, poor Hugh, haplessly keeps trying to be the good vassal to a bad lord. And there were the usual reactions about what a bad guy William was, and why did Hugh keep taking it? <br /><br />And then, Lo! I said unto them: "One thing we're all assuming is that Hugh is telling the unvarnished truth about events. Let's read the document another way: let's assume he's not being fully honest with us. We'll credit him with not making up anything out of whole cloth, but rather that he is spinning events in such a way as to make himself look good. Let's assume, for a moment, that Hugh is the bad guy. Take a minute with that."<br /><br />And then the discussion took off.<br /><br />I'm not sure if too much credulity is your students' problem, but if it is, maybe this approach could help?"Notorious Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08700875559325201086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671815.post-49042545570719012092010-11-21T22:45:39.904-05:002010-11-21T22:45:39.904-05:00gaaah will have to fix that spelling, because yes...gaaah will have to fix that spelling, because yes, she is a nice woman. Not that it matters, except in terms of accuracy!<br /><br />WN, it's good to know that you are teaching them such things! What students don't know is a moving target, I think.Another Damned Medievalisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05231085915472400163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671815.post-26049108529064584352010-11-19T19:10:26.278-05:002010-11-19T19:10:26.278-05:00If it's really 'fiance' not 'fianc...If it's really 'fiance' not 'fiancée' there may have been deeper problems there... But seriously, you know I hear you. My best friend these days is my first ex. The number of times we have together or separately said something equivalent to "We are so much better as friends than we were as spouses" could not easily be counted. Hurrah for sense, love and friendship! These are what sensible people *ought* to be capable of.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671815.post-6533441900505526602010-11-19T08:12:26.394-05:002010-11-19T08:12:26.394-05:00I've had a little of that "they don't...I've had a little of that "they don't understand power" in my AP Comp class as well. They're so caught up in stories of individual success and failure that they really don't comprehend what happens to groups of people in interactions with each other. We had one of those conversations just yesterday in class, although I don't think we're at the "breakthrough" stage yet. At least in my case, I have them for an entire year, four days a week -- we may get somewhere!What Now?https://www.blogger.com/profile/04017629066466055668noreply@blogger.com