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It doesn't seem to me to be about fairness or unfairness; it's teaching. Students didn't have to prepare a second draft, illuminated by the teacher's comprehens

It doesn't seem to me to be about fairness or unfairness; it's teaching. Students didn't have to prepare a second draft, illuminated by the teacher's comprehensive remarks; but it would have been stupid not to seize that opportunity to learn. He's marking the first drafts down to emphasize the importance of paying close attention to his remarks. And "paying close attention" to the teacher's remarks on an essay really means rewriting it. These students aren't being bullied; quite the opposite, they are receiving individual care and attention from a dedicated teacher. If only all teachers handled essays in this way.

justin66 3y ago
> If only all teachers handled essays in this way. The interesting thing to me about some of the pro- comments being made here is their bizarre stridency. Here's another from downthread: > I agreed with everything I read and wished I'd had so much consideration, both as a student and as a teacher. I have some definite opinions about pedagogy but the thought of educators all working precisely the same way sounds like something out of The Twilight Zone or Orwell or something.
- denton-scratch 3y ago
  > their bizarre stridency. I didn't think I had been "strident", nor did I think the comment you quoted sounded strident. And I had the impression that the pro- commenters generally wished that their own teachers had worked like that; so I'm not sure where your impression of a kind of sinister sameness comes from.
  - justin66 3y ago
    It seems to me like there's some distance between wishing one had experienced a certain kind of teaching and wishing only one kind of teaching existed. > If only all teachers handled essays in this way.
    - denton-scratch 3y ago
      Point taken! I guess I meant I wish all essay-markers took the trouble to make constructive comments, rather than just "2/10" at the bottom. Why take care over your essay, if the marker isn't going to show any evidence of having actually read it? And if the marker doesn't read it, presumably nobody will.
      - justin66 3y ago
        Oh, I can agree with that for sure. My objection is with the particulars of how the author is handling his students' first drafts, and I guess I enumerated my objections elsewhere. I agree that it's better than not doing drafts at all.

justin66 3y ago

> If only all teachers handled essays in this way. The interesting thing to me about some of the pro- comments being made here is their bizarre stridency. Here's another from downthread: > I agreed with everything I read and wished I'd had so much consideration, both as a student and as a teacher. I have some definite opinions about pedagogy but the thought of educators all working precisely the same way sounds like something out of The Twilight Zone or Orwell or something.

denton-scratch 3y ago
> their bizarre stridency. I didn't think I had been "strident", nor did I think the comment you quoted sounded strident. And I had the impression that the pro- commenters generally wished that their own teachers had worked like that; so I'm not sure where your impression of a kind of sinister sameness comes from.
- justin66 3y ago
  It seems to me like there's some distance between wishing one had experienced a certain kind of teaching and wishing only one kind of teaching existed. > If only all teachers handled essays in this way.
  - denton-scratch 3y ago
    Point taken! I guess I meant I wish all essay-markers took the trouble to make constructive comments, rather than just "2/10" at the bottom. Why take care over your essay, if the marker isn't going to show any evidence of having actually read it? And if the marker doesn't read it, presumably nobody will.
    - justin66 3y ago
      Oh, I can agree with that for sure. My objection is with the particulars of how the author is handling his students' first drafts, and I guess I enumerated my objections elsewhere. I agree that it's better than not doing drafts at all.