I led seminar today, and for the "getting to know you question" (in ways, I really have become Ariann) I decided to make the question more topical (rather than "favourite Halloween costume"), seeing as it's a Canadian history class. I asked them to name a figure in Canadian history (or any Canadian in general) that they admire/like/anything. As you can see, I had to make the question easier and easier. Even with that, most of the students -- a class which usually has strong opinions and loves these questions -- came up with an answer of "My mind is blanking; I can't think of any Canadian off the top of my head." One answered "James Douglas," because we read about him last week. Two answered Terry Fox, two answered Pierre Eliot Trudeau, one said Mike Myers, one Jim Carrey, one said Emily Carr, one said BC's premier, and the last guy said Lester B. Pearson. (I said Kay Macpherson, the former president of the Voice of Women.) That's right: out of twenty students, only half had any answer.
What frightened me about their responses weren't "I know a lot of Canadian figures, and I know none worthy of admiration;" they honestly couldn't think of any. What does this mean for the future of this country? Is this a general theme in youths now? Or is this a BC trait? (I have often heard that this province is far more connected to the United States than it is to any province near it.)
I know we're allegedly not a country of heros (which is a statement usually followed by "unlike our neighbours to the South..."), but we have some recognisable names. I thought this was an easy question.
Side note: I love the technique that the other TA taught me, of having the group go around, before breaking into their smaller groups, and having to say which article they liked/learned from the best and why. While they struggled with the "getting to know you" question, they always do well with this one. It has the hidden purposes of weeding out those who didn't do the readings, and starting off the general discussion.
17 comments:
You know, I only did the whole "get to know you" thing on the first day of class, but I'm beggining to think that maybe I should do it more often, like you do. How many students do you have though? Doesn't it consume a lot of time?
The trouble is television. Sometimes I think that CBC should be enforced. But then I find myself watching it less and less all the time, too. Which is ridiculous. There's some dang quality tv in Canada.
It doesn't take up too much time -- I have twenty students, and we all just go around, state our name and program, answer the "getting to know you" question and then what they thought of the readings. The other TA doesn't do the gtky question, but he does the rest of the stuff.
And you should start listening to CBC radio, immediately! Mostly CBC 1 on Saturdays. It's so awesome.
No, it's a BC thing. I once bought a BC friend Will Ferguson's "How to Be Canadian," but she knew so little of Canadian history that she didn't get the humour. I, of course, found it utterly hilarious.
Although not nearly as much as dramsey.
M.
i think it's elliott trudeau, is it not?
Mary, I listen to CBC radio all the time when I drive. But it's CBC 2 that I listen to.
This is the country that named Don Cherry as a finalist for "The Greatest Canadian." I guess it's up to aspiring high school history teachers like me to expose the kids to all true Canadian heroes like Paul Henderson. Three game-winning goals in the final three games of the '72 Summit Series against Russia and there is still debate about whether he belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Pfft.
Derek out.
P.S. Meg, Ferguson only gets better. Bastards and Boneheads is sheer genius. Hee hee. I just wrote "Bastards" on Maryanne's blog.
Ignorant hippy tree-huggers!
My list of Canadians I admire/like/whatever (in no particular order):
Stewart McLean (yay CBC radio!)
Tom King (as above. Dead Dog Cafe rules)
Mike McCormick/Chris Patterson/Trevor Strong
William Gibson
Randy Bachman (as well as numerous other Canadian musicians)
Paul Gross
Tommy Douglas (yay national medicare!)
For people who aren't famous, my coach, Ted Jaleta, is way up there.
Oh, and Maryanne, I love that the "thank you" card you sent me was apparently written before I came to Victoria, but was received several weeks after I returned from that trip.
I considered posting this anonymously, but Maryanne would know who this was just by the list of Candians I posted, I'm sure.
If you want your students to actualy put in effort to the gtky questions tell them that you are marking them...then at least they will produce some Canadians that live in the States.
I have to agree with Matt though, Dead Dog Cafe was one of the greatest programs ever on the air.
I only knew about 3 of Matt's Canadian heroes.
I'll try to stump HIM now.
Uh...the dude that wrote "The Log Driver's Waltz"...why isn't there a province named after him yet?
OH!! Here it is. The definitive Canadian (this one's for you mom and Amanda)
Paul Anka.
I rest my case.
It is true that BC is far more American than Canadian. Did you know that they put the cheese on the bottom of the pizza and not on the top...crazy american trait AND they also say dinner instead of supper. Those are my examples. As for famous/admired canadian...Lane Price. haha!
Cheese on the bottom? How is that possible?? Wouldn't the pizza fall apart?
People think Albertans are wierd... yeah right.
Famous Canadains... What was the name of the girl who warned the Canadians that the Americans were coming in The War of 1812?
Whoever she is, I pick her.
Laura Secord.
She makes some fine fine chocolate.
Wade Hemsworth wrote the Log Driver's Waltz, which really is an excellent song, and one I'm going to have to learn the words to.
I have never heard of people putting cheese on the bottom of pizza. That sounds really dumb.
Laura Secord was from Upper Canada, so technically she is "Canadian", even though that was before our country existed as a nation.
I'm curious as to which 3 of the Canadians I listed Lyn knows. At a guess I would have to say Randy Bachman, Paul Gross and Tommy Douglas, but I could be wrong.
Are we talking about cheese actualy on the bottom of the pizza or merely on top of the dough before the meat and everything else.
I mean if it was the first way wouldn't that make it hard to get it out of the pan??!
Matt, I think you've got two right, but I don't think she'd know who Paul Gross is. My guess is that the other was Stewart MacLean. Let us know, Lynnie.
Sorry Ky, you think you know me. But I know Paul Gross. Um, is Stewart MacLean really hot and in a uniform? No? That is why I don't know who he is.
If it helps though, the name sounded familiar, but I couldn't directly identify him so I didn't think it would be fair.
Man. I just totally assumed you'd never have seen Due South. Silly me. But I KNEW you'd heard Vinyl Cafe before, cuzza Dad.
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