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This is a must for replies to "absent" students On Monday, September 26, 2005, at 01:36 PM, Stephen Schellenberg wrote: > > Hi Paleonetters. Given that many of you teach, I thought the following > poem would strike close to home as you invariably encounter the absent > students' question of "Did I miss anything?" Enjoy. - s! > ______________________________ > > Did I Miss Anything by Tom Wayman > Originally from: The Astonishing Weight of the Dead.1994. Polestar > press. Vancouver, BC. > > Did I Miss Anything > Question frequently asked by students after missing a class. > > Nothing. When we realized you weren't here > we sat with our hands folded on our desks > in silence, for the full two hours. > > Everything. I gave an exam worth > 40 per cent of the grade for this term > and assigned some reading due today > on which I'm about to hand out a quiz > worth 50 per cent. > > Nothing. None of the content of this course > has value or meaning > Take as many days off as you like: > any activities we undertake as a class > I assure you will not matter either to you or me > and are without purpose. > > Everything. A few minutes after we began last time > a shaft of light descended and an angel > or other heavenly being appeared > and revealed to us what each woman or man must do to > attain divine wisdom in this life and the hereafter. > This is the last time the class will meet > before we disperse to bring this good news to all people on earth. > > Nothing. When you are not present > how could something significant occur? > > Everything. Contained in this classroom > is a microcosm of human existence > assembled for you to query and examine and ponder. > > This is not the only place such an opportunity has been gathered > but it was one place. And you weren't here. > > -- > Stephen A. Schellenberg > Department of Geological Sciences > San Diego State University > 5500 Campanile Drive > San Diego, CA 92182-1020 > > Cell: 619.787.3217 > Fax: 619.594.4372 > > -- David B. Scott, director Centre for Environmental and Marine Geology Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 3J5 CANADA PH: 902-494-3604; FAX: 902-494-3877/6889 email: dbscott@dal.ca http://meguma.earthsciences.dal.ca/staff/dbscott/scott.htm NAPC2005:http://meguma.earthsciences.dal.ca/napc/napc2005-s.htm
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