ABSTRACT
There are some them as well. For example, my first class of and yet confused about how I knew it was time to give them a break or end class. They saw me look at the back of the classroom where the clock was and then dismiss them. What they did not know was simultaneous to “glancing” at the back wall, I made a sweeping motion with my left hand and pressed a button on my “talking watch,” which then whispers the time in my left ear. This motion is so automatic with me that to others it may appear as if I am smoothing back my hair and not trying to hear the time. Some of the students find the following funny, and others are appalled. In order to take attendance, I ask them all to remain in the same seats for the entire semester, such as what is done in law schools. At each class, they are requested to tell me their names at the beginning, which is comparable to a roll call. I make a mental note of the absent, but I remind them that if they do come in late to let me know upon arrival. Some of the students take this very seriously and admonish the ones that stray from their assigned seats. As for latecomers, a few of them never let me know. Some have suggested that they “sneak in and act as if they were there from the beginning.” I tend to believe many are simply uncomfortable interrupting a lecture in progress, especially if they are late. Whatever the reason, it is often a focus of student comment. To reassure them, I tell them it is quite simple, almost mathematical, but I can tell who is late by subtracting the list present in the beginning from the final mental list of students I make as new additional voices are heard during the class. Thank God I have pretty good voice recognition skills. My class is generally interactive and emphasizes student participation. These conditions make it very difficult to fool me, although I suspect if someone really wanted to do it, he or she could devise a way. What good would it do? It would only be to their detriment in their studies.
