Into a groove?

Today I had another class.  This was Intercultural Communication.  Some of the faculty mentioned it is difficult to fill the full 90 minutes online.  Plus, no one really likes Zoom school.  "Create a writing assignment for the students, and they can do that for the last 15 minutes or so."  I had given my students a straightforward assignment, and with 15 minutes left in class I asked them if they wanted to take time to do that or stay in class.  They all voted to stay in class, so I had them tell me what food I should try and what food I should avoid.  Sake, omeboshi, and natto were on the list to avoid.  All three of which I've had already.  Pickled daikon was on two lists to avoid.  Both Jen and I agree that pickled vegetables are wonderful.  (Jen's more adamant about it than I am, and I feel pretty strongly about this.)  One person said I must try sashimi while I am here.  I mentioned Dad has been to Japan a few times, and he agrees with that.  At the end of it all I told them I would try to eat everything on both lists.  We finished class with me saying "You all have homework, and so do I.  I must try as many of these foods as I can."

I also happened upon a very useful Zoom feature.  I had the students send me a private chat saying if they were nervous or worried about the class.  If they felt worried, to tell me what they were worried about.  I promised them I would not tell anyone what they answered, so they could be honest.  Every one of them mentioned something they were worried about.  I have an idea of what to focus on to help each of these students.

Tomorrow is my Comparative Cultures class.  I had hoped we would be in person so I could collect written work.  Instead I had to learn Manaba - a Japanese Learning Management System.  I can now post announcements, upload files, and create assignments.  Since SVSU wants to make the transition here for faculty easier, I am making a "user guide" as I go along.  I hope it will make the teaching life more straightforward for those who come after.

In any case, for class tomorrow I will be doing an overview of Buffy for them.  I'm making a PowerPoint so they can see it later.  Our first episode will be in a week or two and it will be Earshot.  I don't recall if I mentioned this or not.  In this episode Buffy gains telepathic powers after some demon blood is absorbed into her skin.  She is able to hear the thoughts of those near her, which seems awesome.  It's just she can't turn it off.  While she is in the cafeteria at lunch she hears someone think "By this time tomorrow, I'll kill you all."  Originally the episode was set to air on Tuesday, April 27, 1999.  It was delayed because the Columbine school massacre happened on Tuesday, April 20, 1999.  Consequently, it was delayed until Sept 21, 1999 -- two months after the season finale.  Which was also delayed due to school violence.

I want to use it to talk about guns and gun culture in the US.  There is also a message about feeling ridiculed and laughed at, even though the people you think are laughing at you are really too wrapped up in their own problems and insecurities to pay attention to yours.

I will also be showing them Hush because it is tremendously good television and gets at the need to communicate.  My last episode of Buffy I will show them is The Body.  One person said this about The Body.  "I hate that episode.  It is so good."  Even thinking about it makes me a little teary eyed.

The point of using these in a Comparative Cultures class is so many people dismiss television as art.  I see good television, like MASH, Buffy, Cheers, Psych, Boston Legal, and many others as placing a mirror and lens in our hands.  We can see ourselves and examine features very closely.  They help us know who we are and who we want to be.  Shakespeare would have been a show runner.  This is a feeling that would be very hard to argue me out of.

Okay.  I need to get my presentation finished.  Until tomorrow.