At one college where I teach, a certain professor has the knack for turning any bit of class participation, into a teaching moment. I’m not as gifted as he is, but I sometimes turn odd questions or comments into a pedagogical opportunity.
In my late afternoon class, when I was going over attitudes towards writing and what writing is, one student asked me about if they have to learn etiquette in English class. I have to admit I was thrown off by this. Would I have to walk my students a few blocks over to the University Club, show them how I eat holding a fork with my left hand and a knife with my right, and then arrange the silverware in the four o’clock position to let the waiter know I was finished? Or, should I teach them how to write Dear Sir or Dear Madame? Honestly, I was confounded, and I hate being confounded in front of a group of people.
So, within seconds (which seemed like an eternity), I responded that while etiquette is part of how we use language, we were not learning it in this course. I then shifted the subject to the issue of tone in righting. The odd question provided a nice segue for this, even though I didn’t plan to discuss it in this session. However, it was nice to see the students understood tone in writing and many of them even came up with various examples from life.
My student’s question brings up an interesting point. Perhaps etiquette should be taught in college. I’m not talking about which spoon to use (one scene in the Titanic provides that lesson in a throwaway moment), but students could use a lesson in civility. The Mindy Shatners of the world certainly could. These are the petty, spoiled, too smart for their own good brats who deserve a good kick in the pants, but my own decency prevents me from taking that action. And, of course, they’re always academic hacks and slummers.
While it may be tempting to knock some manners into Mindy’s noggin, she just has to learn not everyone is impressed with the likes of her.
If I could use an odd question from a student as a teaching moment, I can certainly transform the martini-inspiring moments of Mindy Shatner, her little sister, and her in-bred cousins.
Tags: College Writing Skills, community college, etiquette, students, teaching moments
Unfortunately, there isn’t an appropriate title for someone with a Masters Degree. Master isn’t quite appropriate, but Mister is perhaps more appropriate. However, Mister lacks the distinction of Doctor. All I can do is tack those three letters at the end of my name.
Some students simply play it safe and address all their teachers as Professor (which is not always accurate, but at least it’s erring on the side of caution).
Perhaps the page in the etiquette book should be copied so students should know how to address people in letters, especially PhD’s and other D’s.
One of the bits of etiquette that is no longer taught — and, in my opinion, ought to be — is how to address a letter (and by extension, an e-mail).
I still cringe every time I get a message from someone with a Ph.D. addressed to “Dear [First Name] [Last Name]” as opposed to “Dear [Mr./Ms./and in academia if not sure Dr. is always a safe bet either for accuracy or ego stroking] [Last Name]“
And certainly, someone needs to teach undergraduates that sending a message to your professor with the salutation “Hi there!” or “Hey [First Name]” is totally inappropriate. As far as you’re concerned, my name is “Dr. [Last Name]“, but you may address me as “God.”
Or at least that’s what I’ll tell them whenever I get my Ph.D. and start teaching *wink*