scheduling notes

[marta_randall]

Tomorrow, April 19, is a travel day for me and I don't think I'll be able to get to a computer. I will check in again on Friday the 20th. So don't go throwing any erasers around while I'm gone, okay?

[mae-V]

Can we sit where we want?

[book_worm]

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mae-V wrote:
Can we sit where we want?

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Lol!

[KristenS]

LOL! I was in one small seminar course in college where there were only eight of us, around a long oval table. We obviously got in the habit of our own 'assigned' seats. One day we decided to shuffle things up, just to see what happened. The professor kept staring at us, wondering what we were up to. It was a riot. Such a little thing, but a big impact psychologically.

I claim the corner seat in the back by the window! (I like to sit where no one can read over my shoulder.)

[marta_randall]

Okay, thanks for not writing rude things on the blackboard or gluing the drawers of my desk shut.

Onward!

[mae-V]

Yay! Welcome back.

An aside: The only time I really enjoyed the regular teacher being out was in Jr. High. The sub had an gnarly strategy: He told us a story. He paced it so that it ended on his last day. Don't remember the story, but I remember appreciating it.

Let's hear it for Story!

[WriterJim]

As a teacher, I see the whole "substitute thing" from a completely different perspective.

If my students complain about the substitute when I come back, and their assignments are done and stacked on my desk, I know that the sub was very effective. If the classroom is askew, and the students have wild, flushed looks in their eyes (remember, I teach 12-13 year olds), then I know never to invite that substitute back.

[lady_hockey]

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WriterJim wrote:
As a teacher, I see the whole "substitute thing" from a completely different perspective.

If my students complain about the substitute when I come back, and their assignments are done and stacked on my desk, I know that the sub was very effective. If the classroom is askew, and the students have wild, flushed looks in their eyes (remember, I teach 12-13 year olds), then I know never to invite that substitute back.

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So if the kids had fun, it was a bad substitute?

[KristenS]

Depends on the fun. LOL.

We had one sub in high school, the stereotypical picture of a sweet little old lady. She really was, and when we saw her we knew we'd have an easy class. Oh, sure, the work got done and all, but it was more relaxed. One time she took our class to the library because we were supposed to do research. Near the end of the period she reminded us to gather up our stuff and get ready for lunch. We were all talking, but we heard her and were following directions. The librarian's sub came up to our class and started yelling at us to follow directions and hurry up.

Our sweet-old-lady sub states in this drop-dead ice tone, "I don't believe I asked for your help."

There was absolute silence after that. We had never seen her snap at anyone before, and she was so calm about it! And it was cool to see that she'd stand up for her class too.

She was so nice that no one ever really hassled her as a sub, but boy did she get the utmost respect for the rest of the year!

I really want to have a story somewhere that I can fit in a character like her. It was just one of those moments that sticks in your memory forever. Characters acting unexpectedly and revealing a hidden depth to their personalities. It's way cool.

[marta_randall]

I can see why you want to use her as a character, Kristen. That's a great story.

So here's an idea -- how would you turn your own memories of and/or experiences as a substitute teacher, into a science fiction story? It's not enough just to place the story in space: think of a way in which the teacher or what is taught might be used in an s.f. sense. As an example: I am positive that if one sub I had in middle school had his druthers, he'd have put us all into suspended animation until the class was over.

[mae-V]

OK. It's official: I love this forum. We've definitely got the cool teacher!
And... now I'm two stories behind. Oh well.

[KristenS]

Hmm, hadn't thought of her in an SF sense, Marta, but it's interesting. Will 'little old ladies' be working way in the future? Will they need to? What will 'old' be then? Seems like the older generation get the lesser jobs like substitute teachers or greeters at Wal-Mart, or stuck supervising a bunch of teens at a fast food place. What will retirement be generations from now?

This lady had been a teacher when my dad went to that high school. Will there be generations of people having the same teachers? Everyone moves so much these days, it's not real likely, except perhaps in a closed environment like a distant space station outpost. Except in those cases, live teachers might be replaced by electronic teaching. My one (admittedly cheesy) space station setting has the kids in more of a homeschool environment ... the parents overseeing the education, using all resources available, including the computers. No need for formal teachers there.

Oh, my tired brain ... but now I've been challenged, I *must* find a spot for her!

(Sorry I haven't been posting much. My brain hit editing burnout. I've got a beautifully critiqued copy of my MS sitting on my hard drive and I can't even read the thing. Sigh.)

[marta_randall]

I'm back home (aka in the real world) again. Internet service was dicy the past couple of days, but I am hoping to make up for that now. As soon as I unpack. And let the cats sit on me for a while. And explore the wonders of my empty fridge. And all that.

I know we've all read lots of stories where, in the future, the house takes care of you -- stocks food or makes it, prepares it, cleans up after you, does your laundry, etc. etc. I'm willing to bet that even that house will make mistakes, so that 150 years from now people will still be coming home to discover that there's no milk for the morning coffee, or the water deliveries didn't stop, or whatever.

So: where do you get your ideas?

[mae-V]

Welcome home.

Yeah. I love the real world for spitting out trinkets of story ideas.

I was reading a forum where the parents of lively and vocal childern post their favorite quips. There was a point when I stopped imagining the children and started looking for "what ifs."
I'm also taking my misreading of phrases and typos more seriously.

Oh, and my favorite story starter of any kind: The English Teacher's Critique of Lazy Language! A couple I remember:
"White snow" is redundant. We know that snow is white. Oh, do we?
The Lazy Language I'm most guilty of, using "really". I'd have followed that up with a story, but P. K. Dick has done it so well that I can go off and hunt for that other snow whose unreality is its whiteness.

[doeyeou2]

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marta_randall wrote:
I can see why you want to use her as a character, Kristen. That's a great story.

So here's an idea -- how would you turn your own memories of and/or experiences as a substitute teacher, into a science fiction story? It's not enough just to place the story in space: think of a way in which the teacher or what is taught might be used in an s.f. sense. As an example: I am positive that if one sub I had in middle school had his druthers, he'd have put us all into suspended animation until the class was over.

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Setting: a Little old lady teacher, all of 5'2" tall 105lbs, wearing a sweater over her calf length dress was in front of her class of 13-14 year old students. A Starfleet Marine knocks on her door. They are on the Jupiter moon Callisto.

The scarred soldier walked into classroom, "I need to talk to your students."

"No."

"Excuse me, but this is extremely important."

"No."

"Listen mame, the Neostrogians are going to attack the station."

"Yes, I have heard."

"I need your students to come and defend the western landing area."

"No."

Growing more frustrated, the marine shouts, "Listen woman, I have been given the right by the station's manager to take any students with me that I deem capable of defending this station."

In her calm voice, "Be that as it may, you will not be taking any of my students and that is final. I know your plan, It is to have the students take the blunt of the Neostrogians first attack and have your men counterattack. The students will have a mortality rate of over 75%. I can not allow this to happen, you will have to find another way. Now please leave, I have a Differential Equations class to teach."

The marine shaking his head bows to the little old teacher and leaves the classroom in search of another plan.



I love little old ladies who have seen and put up with so much BS they are no longer afraid of anything.

Message Edited by doeyeou2 on 05-04-200711:36 PM

[KristenS]

Oh, that's a hoot! Thanks!!

[marta_randall]

I have just learned that at the end of May, this "writing club" will be discontinued. Apparently all of the writing clubs at BN are to undergo a sea change, and there is very little likelihood that we'll see an s.f. writing workshop for a goodly while, if at all.

[doeyeou2]

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marta_randall wrote:
I have just learned that at the end of May, this "writing club" will be discontinued. Apparently all of the writing clubs at BN are to undergo a sea change, and there is very little likelihood that we'll see an s.f. writing workshop for a goodly while, if at all.

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As participants in the writing clubs, do we have any options?

[WriterJim]

Marta:

I'm sad to learn that this is happening. As a former employee in an entertainment business, I understand the dynamics of new business starts. Somebody has yanked the budget or pulled the plug after examining the bottom line, I'm sure. They either didn't get what they wanted, or weren't sure enough of what they wanted to sustain this start.

The publishing industry operates on the smallest of margins, and a thing has to do more than just pay its way--it has to stand out and shine.

I'll miss this forum, though. This was a good way for me to refresh my fiction writing skills after a three-year layoff. I've written two new stories this spring as a result of ideas I got here, and I've had a chance to read some good fiction and good articles about writing it.

I've enjoyed our conversations on these discussions boards, too. My time spent here has not been in vain. Thanks for all your comments and ideas, Marta, and thanks to my fellow writers on this board. I hope to see your names in print some day.

Meanwhile, I think I'll continue to read and participate until they pull the plug.

[mae-V]

I've put in as much, or more, work here for fun as I have for my "real" classes. Thank you to all who have participated. We are the grit that we polish ourselves against.

Not only has my story working improved, but my ordinary writing has become more courageous, more willing to be seen in its natural state. Whatever success I might achieve in the future, whether directly in writing or not, will have been as a result of my spending time here, with this company. I've felt for a long time, that I would only see myself honestly when I could write from my most honest self. The challenge of commenting has been that mirror. I hope I look as good to others as I do to myself.

As for thanking Marta...I will continue to write and comment and edit with energy.
--mae-v