Some lessons learned

[D2Cat]

Most Important Lesson


During my second year of college, a professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one:

“What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?”

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. “Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say ‘hello’.” I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Math prof in college had this as question #9

3 6 = ?

dang it's worth 20 points ...
I penned in 'What's the question ?

got my 20

...
Biz+tech writing class, prof was a 'look before you leap' preacher...
final exam is 2 1/2 hours, 4 pages...

After 25 minutes, I'm looking around trying to figure out if I'm the only one who READ the last page...
I checked, rechecked, handed in paper, thanked the prof for the education he gave me.
last page was simple t/f + abcd questions, worth 85% of exam.....

 

[skeets]

Back in the mid 70s I was working and going to Pitt in the evenings, One of the classes was expository writing. The prof would give a subject and you wrote about it, that really helped doing fatality reports. Anyways, her one subject was "WHY" now thats a head scratcher. Then I remembered I had head that had happend someplace, and they answered "WHY NOT" and thinking I was smarter than the average bear, thts what I wrote She failed me, I asked why? She looked at me and grinned and said plagiarism

 

[85Hokie]

Freshman English class in college.......
Mid semester........
Man walks into class - with WHITE walking cane....... dark glasses on .......
We thought it was a "joke" until he assured us that he was blind......
My wife will READ all assignments to me to be graded!

"your first assignment is to give me directions to the local "X" store - it is within walking distance from campus - remember I am blind - I will NOT ask for directions"

He sat down and as the first thoughts came to my mind........ every last one of my thoughts went the way of light to a blind man.

I remember him NOT by name - but rather the way he made me think in a way that I never "thought of"

Funny how your remember those that make you think!

 

[Henro]

Most Important Lesson


During my second year of college, a professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one:

“What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?”

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. “Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say ‘hello’.” I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

Love the story. Want to say more...Some professors are exceptional...sounds like this was one of them.

Trying to think of lessons I learned in life. Can't think of any worth repeating(been a bunch though), but do have an experience that I can share. I traveled back in 1969/70 between Spain and Thailand by motorcycle.

Dogs were different. As I got closer to India, they got less intelligent. Rather than try to chase you, they would wait until you got close and run out in front of you. Of course, you soon learn that swerving on a dirt road to avoid a relatively small animal might cause you to crash, so you go straight, holding the handlebars securely, and wish for the best.

BUT amazingly, in Thailand, the dogs were different. They did not care about motorcycles, and would sleep at the road edge, or in parking lots, and the trucks would avoid them and they just lived that way. I mean REALLY at the road edge, maybe six inches from the pavement if the road was paved. OR in the center of parking lots, not at the edge. Believe it or not.

ANY WAY, I just realize one important message I got while at university. Grades are what matter, not what you learn. Starting late, at age 25, I was really interested in learning. But somehow I realized grades are all about playing the game, and that grades are what matters later after leaving school. So I adapted, and started playing the grade game, and kept getting A grades, rather than B grades when I was trying to learn.

Crazy I know, but BS makes the world go round, as a Canadian guy use to say in Bangkok...Name was Stuart...been 50 years now...Hey Stewart, are you still out there? LOL

 

[Pawnee]

Back when the Canada Russia hockey series was on our Physics prof put this on a test.
Will the Canadians or the Russians win tonight?
I put Canada of course as I cared more about our team than the mark.
My clever friend answered "Either the Canadians will win, or the Russians will win".
He got his mark.

 

[Magicman]

There was on old black man named Auz Jackson that lived our property when I was growing up. His common phrase was; "It's good to know but it's better to understand". I have carried that wisdom with me for 70+ years and it is just as valuable now as it was then.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Chemistry teacher in grade 13 said ...
... You don't have to know the answer, just WHICH book it's in .....

 

[ctfjr]

One of the lessons I learned early on didn't come in a classroom. I was about 19 or and on my way to see a girl when I went through a radar trap at 90+. Back then CT had a 1 strike and your out law with speeding tickets. 30 days loss of license if convicted.
At court I made some dumbass case a kid would and was found guilty. On the way out the trooper that had ticketed me came up to me and looked me right in the face and said, "You want to play, you have to pay, kid".

 

[D2Cat]

I remember being in the 5th grade, when the teacher would call someone to the board she would say. "Move with alacrity." Not knowing what the word meant I looked it up. I think about it when I see people with no "Go" button!

 

[Henro]

Chemistry teacher in grade 13 said ...
... You don't have to know the answer, just WHICH book it's in .....

Speaking of high school teachers, I remember a teacher saying to the class (mix of boys and girls, so I am not sure why this was said):

"Girls are like streetcars...always another one coming by..."

There was a streetcar line that ran past the front of the school.

I wish I could remember what brought this comment about. For some reason it was burned into my memory...still fresh and I can hear the guy in my mind like he was saying it today.

 

[85Hokie]

Haha)) It's weird to hear something like this from a teacher. On the other hand, professors like him are the favorites of pupils and students.

If everyone were to look back and remember their most influential HS teacher - even if they were "mean" or friendly - they did something OTHER than teach! They told stories, they talked about real world events. They prepared you for what is down the road.

The most remembered teachers are those that DID teach about the subject matter - but taught a lot more about life itself!

 

[skeets]

My favorite teacher, was fresh out of collage and it was her first teaching gig.. 9th grand home room 1963, you remember the 60s right? Anyways she did everything by the book every kid was in their desk by their names. And I wound up front and center, and weather it was by habit or something else about 2 times a week she would have something to say, and would sit onthe edge of her desk.. like I said early 60s, short skits ,,, Well lets just say I was a star pupil in home room, I didnt want to loose my seat

 

[JimmyJazz]

When my father dropped me and my duffle bag of clothes off at college he proffered the following advice; "Its not how smart you are. Its where you sit. Always sit next to the asian kid". Being kind of stupid I preferred to fail on my own. Both then and now. Kind of funny.

 

[Henro]

When my father dropped me and my duffle bag of clothes off at college he proffered the following advice; "Its not how smart you are. Its where you sit. Always sit next to the asian kid". Being kind of stupid I preferred to fail on my own. Both then and now. Kind of funny.

I am missing the point, but my first impression was that Asian kids were serious about studying...maybe he thought you might absorb something by the seat you chose?

No clue, just curious since I missed the point. BUT I know I miss obvious points...a weakness I accept.

 

[JimmyJazz]

I am missing the point, but my first impression was that Asian kids were serious about studying...maybe he thought you might absorb something by the seat you chose?

No clue, just curious since I missed the point. BUT I know I miss obvious points...a weakness I accept.

The idea being I would copy off of them and thus not fail. He was joking sort of.

 

[Henro]

The idea being I would copy off of them and thus not fail. He was joking sort of.

OH, at least he was realistic in his perception of the capabilities/motivation of those students!

And hopefully not doing more than joking about your possibilities in future endeavors...which my impression is that you have done well in this area...

 

[Botamon]

If everyone were to look back and remember their most influential HS teacher - even if they were "mean" or friendly - they did something OTHER than teach! They told stories, they talked about real world events. They prepared you for what is down the road.

The most remembered teachers are those that DID teach about the subject matter - but taught a lot more about life itself!

^ Absolutely true!

Math was my worst subject throughout my school years. Yet the one teacher I remember most and whose classes I enjoyed the most, worked just as you described above - he taught math, but every day any number of subjects would come up and be discussed. Everyone enjoyed this man's classes - they were a happy place.

 

[D2Cat]

First year in college, playing basketball. Was 9,000 miles from home. Knew no one in the state. One day at practice the coach was getting after me for every thing I did and for some things I didn't do. I was setting on the bench in the locker room and everyone was gone, coach came in and I told him I was quitting. He asked why, and I told him I grew up in a situation where I didn't need constant criticism and I wasn't going to put myself in that situation again.

He did a lot of talking, but I remember him saying, "The reason I get after you like that is because you're better than you know you are and I want to bring it out of you."

Whether it was true or not I stayed on, and I remember that comment because it changed my life. I learned discipline and commitment gets results.

 

[DustyRusty]

Speaking of high school teachers, I remember a teacher saying to the class (mix of boys and girls, so I am not sure why this was said):

"Girls are like streetcars...always another one coming by..."

There was a streetcar line that ran past the front of the school.

I wish I could remember what brought this comment about. For some reason it was burned into my memory...still fresh and I can hear the guy in my mind like he was saying it today.

I clearly remember a college professor saying the same thing. He was talking to a fellow who had been dumped by his hometown sweetheart with a Dear John letter. I can remember it like it was yesterday since I was that kid. The professor's name was F. Alexander Magoun (Frederick A. Magoun) I just looked him up.