Sunday, September 30, 2007

on the fine art of subconscious emulation...

So I was just looking through my Norton Critical edition of the Canterbury tales (dating from undergrad, when I had Chaucer with Professor C.), I think to check a footnote or something. And I discovered that I had written at the bottom of a page (of the Nun's Priest's Tale, natch), "Bored? Get your professor to imitate a chicken!" (I can see Professor C. doing this, totally, but I'd forgotten all about it.)

We just did a read-through of the Nun's Priest's Tale on Friday. Featuring, you guessed it, me imitating a chicken.

It's always a little eerie to discover that you're turning into your old professors without actually meaning to. Heh.

ETA: Is it just me, or should statements of teaching philosophy contain the word "chicken" more often? I mean, everyone says, "I practice student-centered pedagogy" (yawn...), but how many people can say they practice chicken-centered pedagogy?

... OK, maybe it is just me. Never mind.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ever read anything by Richard Dillard (ex-husband of the famous Annie Dillard)? He was my adviser during undergrad and he believed chickens play a part of all literature, film, etc.

roaringgrrl

heu mihi said...

Hey! I have a friend whose teaching philosophy features chickens! Or at least, I think it does...there's something about birds in there, anyway....

Fretful Porpentine said...

Roaringrrl -- No, I've never read any Richard Dillard, but his ideas sound intriguing...


Heu Mihi -- Awesome! Clearly this is a Movement.

Bardiac said...

I love that all the animals have stereotypical names. Reynard, Chaunticleer, Pertelote. It makes me think about our stereotypical dog names, especially Fido. I've never actually met a dog named Fido, have you?