An Important Quibble
Posted by Bob on May 31, 2006 at 2:29 pm
Filed Under Coaching Session, Comment Responses
I went back to grad school for a semester in 1992, just to check things out.
I took the full load and went in as a PhD candidate.
One thing I noticed was that students would say, “Professor X is teaching a seminar course in …”
The last time I was in grad school over a quarter of a century before, nobody TAUGHT a seminar.
You LEAD a seminar. I didn’t even mention this because no one would in grad school with me would understand the difference.
A COURSE is a COURSE. You are taking students through a course of study.
A SEMINAR is NOT a COURSE.
The difference between TEACHING a seminar and LEADING a seminar is exactly the same as the difference between a Soviet Assembly and a real representative government.
In representative government the leadership uses every dirty trick in the book to get a majority for its policies, which does not smack of Fairy Tale Fairness.
In a Communist “Parliament” there are no dirty tricks. All votes are unanimous.
I may be the last professor who thinks of himself as LEADING a seminar.
The minute I start TEACHING a seminar somebody like Mark or Peter jumps down my throat.
Can you imagine trying to explain that difference to a modern, hoop-jumping person who has made it to grad school?
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
-
Bob’s Books
Bob's first book - 1976 
A PLAGUE ON BOTH YOUR HOUSES
Bob's second book - 1982 
THE NEW RIGHT PAPERS
Bob's deadliest book - 2004 
Why Johnny Can't Think
America's
Professor-Priesthood
-