I talk to my students about a lot of important people in my English classes. William Shakespeare, Jonathan Swift, Dante Alighieri, Christopher Marlowe, Darius Rucker… what? I’m serious. Not understanding the poetry of Darius Rucker is grounds for failure in my class. Look it up. It’s on the syllabus.
I love talking about plagiarism with my students for a number of reasons. I can express my opinions on academia’s standing on the matter, I establish trust with my students (I refuse to use Turn It In), and I get to play Only Wanna Be With You by Hootie & the Blowfish on my classroom’s incredibly loud speaker system, much to the displeasure of neighboring teachers. Sorry guys, Hootie needs to be blasted.
The case of Hootie vs. Bob Dylan (note: it’s not really called that) is probably one of the most unfair cases of plagiarism in the history of music, in my opinion. Only Wanna Be With You quotes Dylan’s Idiot Wind at one point, and references the song You’re a Big Girl Now. I like discussing this example in my classroom, because it shows students that even the most innocent incidents of plagiarism, like Hootie shouting out references to favorite songs, can have far reaching consequences.
We’ll spend a good half hour looking over major and minor cases in music, often by watching the accompanying music videos, and discussing whether or not we think it should be considered plagiarism. Students usually respond well to this, and I get to rock out to some Hootie. Best. Lecture. Ever.
Other musical examples I enjoy using?
- David Bowie & Queen (Under Pressure) vs. Vanilla Ice (Ice Ice Baby)
- The Rolling Stones (The Last Time) vs. The Verve (Bittersweet Symphony)
- Huey Lewis (I Want a New Drug) vs. Ray Parker, Jr. (Ghostbusters)
Have any I should add? Leave a comment, let me know.
Ever wonder, during the course of a semester, what your professor is looking at while he’s teaching? Up there at the podium, looking down at notes, flipping through papers? Well, here’s a look behind-the-scenes, at what my podium looks like on a typical day. The necessary supplies for teaching.
1. Mountain Dew – When you’re in front of a classroom, leading a discussion and lecturing for nearly three hours, you will need some energy. You could eat a proper meal before class, maybe bring in a salad or an apple… but that would be foolish. Foolish I say! Mountain Dew. All the way.
2. Neon Star Stickers - I give these out to students who make outstanding points in class. Sure, some students might find this a little strange, considering they are in college and not 3rd grade, but I took this out of the book of Dr. Bill Meiers, one of my favorite professors at Arcadia. You’d be surprised at how happy getting a star makes a student. Not pictured: Scratch & Sniff stickers. I was out.
3. Fudge Stripe Chocolate Cookies – A must for when the students go on break. Because really, nothing lightens up the mood like snack-time. Especially when your professor gets top-of-the-line cookies for break.
4. iPhone – For playing Canabalt during break.
5. Best American Non-Required Reading – Since the sample essays given in the textbook tend to be flat out dull, I choose to dish out exciting, humorous essays and activities, courtesy the Best American Series. From the Essays to the Non-Required Reading books, I always tend to find hilarious and moving pieces to share with the students.
6. Glasses – Because if I actually wore them in class, I wouldn’t look cool.
7. High Fidelity – I encourage my students to bring in examples of ‘good writing’ to share every week. I broke the ice with a passage from my favorite novel. “What came first, the music or the misery?” Sigh. Oh Nick Hornby. You are the man.
8. Lecture – Oh, and let’s not forget the actual lesson. It’s there somewhere, buried under the neon star stickers, cookies, Mountain Dew, and books.
In related news, this semester has been awesome so far.
Photo lovingly stolen from Google
Yesterday was the first day of the Spring semester at Peirce College. I did my usual sit-with-the-class-and-pretend-I’m-a-student shtick on the first day. I walked out of the class on my phone and came back in, immediately launching into a lecture, enjoying all the surprised looks.
Despite how comfortable I may seem in front of my students, playing these small jokes on them, I’m always incredibly nervous on my first day of the semester. My heart races as I show my ID at the door and as I walk up the stairs to the classroom. It continues to pound up until I start to lecture, a number of thoughts bouncing around in my head.
Will my students like me? Will I make a good first impression? What if no one shows up? What if they think I’m boring? What if they all fall alseep?
Often times, it feels akin to the way I felt during college as a theater major. But I guess that’s no surprise. Teaching is really like a good, theatrical performance.
You memorize the script (lecture), know the stage directions (walk around the class), draw the audience in (be passionate), give them a decent intermission (break), and send them home with something (homework / knowledge). I love it.
Sadly, I’m not teaching at MC3 this semester due to other engagements (a book!), but I’m looking forward to a fun Spring semester at Peirce. My students were active and engaged on the very first day of class, and many told me how their peers recommended me. That’s always a good sign. Must be doing something right.
My mom has wanted a nice picture of me since the summer, so I figured, why not? My pal Marisa took this the other day and I gave it to my mom in a frame. This photo essentially sums me up. Young professional, pretentious literature snob (that’s a Vonnegut book in my hand), dude who writes in the park. Eric Smith. 2009.
2009 was a great year. I turned 27 and celebrated two years with my gorgeous girlfriend. Friends from Buffalo came to visit, and I almost died saving a chicken nugget. I flew out to and explored Chicago, spent Spring break in Buffalo, and visited Lake Placid with Heather and her family. My 3rd nephew, Issiah, was born, and my cousin Kevin and his Kate welcomed their own little munchkin into the world, Natalie Anne.
Me? I adopted a new bunny and welcomed a bouncing baby Playstation 3 into my life. I suppose that’s something.
Geekadelphia celebrated three years of being online. This year we threw a release party for Section 8, hosted a Halloween party with Indy Hall, had a Rock Band competition at National Mechanics for Child’s Play Charity, and threw a massive three year anniversary bash at North Bowl. Saw a lot of crazy interviews on the site, from talking to Billy Boyd (Pippin from Lord of the Rings) to stars in James Cameron’s Avatar.
The site is growing, and I’m thrilled. Despite its position as one of the most popular blogs in Philly, I still don’t make any real money off it… but I don’t care.
I write because it makes me happy, not because it makes me money.
It was also a great year for me career wise. I taught three courses at three different colleges (Holy Family University, Montgomery County Community College, Peirce College), gave guest lectures at Long Island University, St Joseph’s University, and appeared on a panel or two, pitched a book idea to a publisher that supports me, and started volunteering with the Academy of Natural Sciences, my favorite museum in Philadelphia.
In 2010, I’m looking forward to starting my new book, traveling across the country with one of my best friends in the Spring, vacationing in Japan with Heather during the summer, and who knows what else. And now, some pictures.
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Omg! Professor Smith brought us pizza! Yay!
During my years as a student, I always dreaded the final exam, and dreamed that one day, I’d be in a situation where the professor would do something really cool. Like, give me an A for refusing to write a final paper.
Me: Here’s what I think of your test, Professor! *RIPS*
Teacher: You stood up to me… that was the test.
Cue bad 1980’s synth-pop music, possibly Phil Collins
But alas, these sort of things never happened, and I was always handed one of those dreadful blue books. I loathed those, and as a result, I’ve never dished out a final exam in any of my courses. A final paper that my students can write at home… yes. That way there’s no pressure, and I get creative, well written, critical papers.
I do enjoy psyching my students out though.
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My debut novel comes out this Fall. You'll be able to download free audiobook podcasts 
