Conversations with Students

(1.)

My students have been doing two-part presentations all week. They've been assigned a reading in our text, and their task was to present thoughftul discussion questions that reference the material. They were also required to lead us in some activity that supplements the things we just discussed. They had weeks to prepare this, and I gave plenty of help. Despite all that, I was forced to have the following conversation this morning:

Me: Okay, what's next in your presentation?

Student: We're going to separate the class into two groups and do a debate.

Me: Okay. Great. What are we going to be debating?

Student: Uhm, I don't know.


(2.)

This conversation took place in my afternoon class. I mentioned something about Buffalo, about being from New York, and one of my students looked up at me with wide eyes.

Student: You're from New York?

Me: Yes.

Student: Wow. That must be a long commute. Do you do it every day?