Careless replies

[Benjamin Rifkin]

Knowing Rich Robin and knowing the student in question, I assure all
readers of this list that Rich's comments were taken out of context
and some readers may be reading into the comments something that
isn't there.  Rather than repeating the comments here (and giving
them a second and undeserved life), I'd rather just say that the
student in question is a good student who worked hard at Middlebury
this summer.  She earned a well-deserved award for progress in
listening comprehension. She also made great progress in speaking and
other skills.

Sincerely,

Ben Rifkin



>Elena Gapova wrote:
>
>>  Whether the misuse of the reply button was meant or just a Freudan
>>  slip, we could all admit that mocking (stupid) students is an
>>  important part of the teachers' juissance de vie. We are all human.
>
>That we are. But we are not all petty. Many of us don't find much
>amusement in putting others down.
>
>I remember from my days in academia that this sort of thing was all too
>common, and I'm sure you know it goes both ways. But prevalence doesn't
>make it right, any more than the prevalence of drunk driving makes that
>right.
>
>Let's remember that this is a semipublic place, and you never know who
>may be listening. Perhaps your chairman. Perhaps your student. Perhaps
>your ex-future spouse. Perhaps someone who was thinking of hiring you.
>I'm not here to judge you, I'm just saying you're playing Russian
>roulette when you shoot your mouth off. ;-)
>
>--
>War doesn't determine who's right, just who's left.
>--
>Paul B. Gallagher
>pbg translations, inc.
>"Russian Translations That Read Like Originals"
>http://pbg-translations.com
>
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--
=================
Benjamin Rifkin

Professor of Slavic Languages, Slavic Dept., UW-Madison
1432 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Dr.
Madison, WI  53706 USA
voice: 608/262-1623; fax: 608/265-2814
http://polyglot.lss.wisc.edu/slavic/rifkin/

Director of the Russian School
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT  05753
voice:  802/443-5533; fax: 802/443-5394
http://www.middlebury.edu/~ls/russian/

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