An Open Letter to My College Professors
Dearest Professors,
I’ve recently realized that I owe you all a sincere apology for any times my handwriting was anything less than perfectly legible on essay exams. In retrospect, I can’t blame you if you had decided to give me a zero on any essays that you couldn’t read. Honestly, I remember trying hard to push through overwhelming writer’s cramp to finish the essay in readable format. I think most of the time I did all right. But, if there was ever a time when my essays were difficult to decipher, I am so terribly sorry.
I remember years of penmanship lessons in elementary school. At the time, I thought it was stupid and frivolous. But now I see that good penmanship is important not only so that our lovers can read our love letters, but so that college professors (and their teaching assistants) can read through 50 essays without agonizing over poor handwriting.
Perhaps, in addition to freshman writing seminars we should add freshman penmanship to the core classes required of college students. I wonder how students make it into college with the handwriting of a nine year old? College application essays should have to be handwritten to screen out the “illegibles”. It would save us all so much fatigue down the line.
In sum, for all the times my handwriting may have caused you anguish as you struggled to read my brilliant essays, I am sorry. Thank you for your abundant grace in not taking marks off for un-readability. I realize now how much restraint that must have taken.
Regards,
A grading-weary graduate student.
8 comments:
I agree - bad penmenship sucks. It was hard enough to grade physics papers like that...I can't imagine trying to read full essays. We've lost a lot of good men down there to bad penmenship.
I know by the end of my second final of the day, though, my arm was a mass of VERY unhappy nerves and muscles. I'd try to write legibly in between the twitching and cramping, but it was awfully hard. I know giving peeps a computer to work on is a bad idea what with the hacking and the cheating, but I think typing is the best way to prevent student fatigue and grad-student grader ire. Let's get some of those nerds with bad penmanship on that! Anyone?
I like the idea of a class called Penmanship 100. It makes sense. About 50 years ago when I went to college, I had to take English 100 before they would let me in. It was a glorified grammar class. So, if someone does not know grammar and they are forced to take a "100" class, why not a "100" penmanship class. I believe those 2 classes are important to the success of any career.
Another good idea is that every 18 year old person must attend 8 weeks of military basic training right after they graduate from high school. The benefits are tremendous for the individual, of which here are a few: 8 weeks salary, discipline and respect, "minuteman" readiness in case of national emergency, learning how to make hospital corners on beds, how to iron, fold towels, learning how to spit shine shoes, etc. (The latter 4 are minor benefits)
I dunno..I was mad enough about having to take a gym class in college, let alone penmanship. I think the college should just set and keep high standards. Penmanship isn't something you can't figure out on your own by the time you're in college. If you're given the option to re-write the essays (word for word) that you receive low marks due to penmanship, or something like that, I think that'd be enough motivation to write well the first time. Just fail the people who don't get the message and you'll see some turn around pretty fast. Don't you think?
Gre'gre - wow! army training?? Mom taught me how to make hospital corners on my bed! Isn't that good enough??? :o)
Red - yeah, I could give bad marks to the people who's writing is awful. The problem is they don't understand authority figures and think they have every right to bicker non-stop to their ta (and eventually professor) if they disagree with you. Seriously. My professor just yesterday told me he was actually followed around everywhere by a student who was mad about his grade. What's with these kids???
I'm totally against taking a penmanship class- just let me type my freaking essays. I hate handwriting, my hand hurts after writing my signature, and I write much better papers when I can go back and change things on the fly. Also, eliminate the need to turn in rough drafts in lower level english classes. I hated writing a paper, and having to go back and crapify it so I could turn the bad version in first.
Mair,
The problem is they don't understand authority figures and think they have every right to bicker non-stop to their ta Underscores my "good idea" about basic training. They would learn pretty quickly that you can't bicker to your "TI" (Training Instructor)
Regarding penmanship, we would have to retrain the entire medical profession. Did you every try to read a prescription? How about the signature on the prescription?
Penmanship is too far gone to make a change.
maybe not computers, but good old fashioned type writers would eliminate the cheating problem and help with penmanship. we would probably need a lot of correction tape though.
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