Student Hijinks & Highlights

Since today was the last class of the semester and the last class I'll be teaching in the foreseeable future, I thought I'd share a couple of highlights, some a little ridiculous, some sentimental (I can fight the tendency, but I can't destroy it). The following are from 6 semesters of teaching. Should I make it back into the Endangered Intellectual Preserve, I'm sure my stories will rapidly accumulate.

*Fridays are an opportunity for announcements, usually along the lines of: "There's a poetry reading at such location and time," or "Come check out my band." One Friday ran another course. A guy announced cheerfully, "Now not to sound like a pimp, but my girlfriend is studying to be a physical therapist and she gives great backrubs, so if anyone was interested, her rates are reasonable and she's taking new clients." Mental note: try to begin more sentences with "Not to sound like a pimp."

*One student raised eyebrows week after week as he read poems in a fanciful British accent, something in between Winston Churchill and Eric Idle. He ordinarily spoke in a flat Midwestern accent. I tried to broach the subject diplomatically: "I've noticed you read rather dramatically."
He misunderstood: "Why, thank you. I've been in drama for three years now." I tried again: "I guess I'm curious about the English accent. Did you spend time abroad growing up?" The truth came out: "No, no, but I did spend a lot of time watching Monty Python and other British comedy. I just love that stuff." Seeing as this was a guy who took pleasure in pronouncing the word "po-hem", I let it drop.

*One student chatted with me at class's end several times, nothing too unusual. Until one day she walked with me all the way to another building, where she suggested we see a movie people in class had recommended. "Oh, I'd enjoy that," I said, "so long as it was a class kind of thing, you know, not too small a group." She said, "Well I thought maybe it could just be you and me."
Bold. I said, "That would be fun, but let's keep things on a professional level, since I'm your teacher and all..." "Don't worry," she said, "It's not like anybody would tell." At which point I break into nervous laughter. I haven't stopped yet.