Smith Karen Mac Wk 1 My Free Comment 'I Am An A"

I used the statue of Grey Friars Bobby, found in Edinburgh, Scotland.  

When his master died, he went to his grave and laid there for several years, until he finally died.  

Animals weren't allowed in the cemetary, 

but they finally made a law that allowed him to be in the cemetary with his master.  

If we could learn to be that loyal to each other, wouldn't it be a wonderful world?

www.greyfriarsbobby.co.uk/

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I ended my comments on the book, The Art of Possibility", discussing a horrible situation from college days, so many years ago (1971-1975), yet, as I wrote them down, thene feelings of horrible work, the feelings of horrible grades, the feelings of horrible things being made to do, all came back with such a rush of emotion, that it brought back that horrible feeling.

I did NOT like that time, that professor, the things I had to do (and in todays world, wouldn't happen), that I forgot to talk about the wonderful things of the book, in Chapter 3 that actually made me think of the things I wrote about.

If I had the professor of Chapter 3, it would have been a different time.  Instead of feeling inadequate, like I couldn't be smart enough to make an A or a B, even though I actually had the points for it, I would have felt smart.  I would have felt like the work I put in meant something, when in fact, it didn't mean anything to that professor.

In turn, my parents couldn't understand that when I said "Mom, I had the same grade as the ones who made a B and was one point away from the one who made an A", she found it very hard to believe me, when she is staring at the slip of paper that said I made a C and in my major!

I understand now that teacher was a moron and did not have our best interest at heart.  Just like when he told some of the boys in the band he wanted to date one of his students, the little clarinet player.  (one turned out to become my husband, but was a best friend at the time.)  I found out, much later, that the guys decided since he didn't teach them their major instrument, they would gang up on him.  They did and told him he better leave ALL his students alone.

I think the professor in the book, "The Art of Possibility", had such a better idea when he chose to give all his students an A.

Even if you are given an A and then with REAL cause, not make believe ones, the grades are moved downward, that is fine.

Of course, doing it after the class is over, when grades are shown and done as far as the students are concerned, would be very wrong.  It would only be ethically correct to reduce the grade during the time before the grades are finished.  When that final grade is given a student, that should be it.  If a teacher is just trying to "get" the student, it would be wrong.

But the teacher did a really neat thing, an idea, an experiment, to give all A's to the students.  The students felt a sense of accomplishment to have such a great plan of action set before them.  It gives a real feeling of accomplishment  and I appreciate it, especially since I did NOT like the way things were going back then