Professor X

Has no one understood Professor X's person? He is ADJUNCT! Underpaid; burnt-out. He has taken on a second job and feels this defeat. He is frustrated with the system.

Ms. L was a force in his plight. Reread the passages about his situation with that student. She never showed a sign of steadfast effort. She changed her ideas and topic constantly even after asking the instructor's advice, which he gave consistantly. Granted, their hap about the computer could have been dealt better with. However, I can understand his loss of patience. Let's not forget that the purpose of a basic writing course is to prepare students for writing papers in college, something that is not done today without computers. It isn't the instructor's problem if a student knows nothing about computers. This instructor did his job simply by pointing her towards sources which could help her with her problem. He did his job; full stop.

Looking back on my experience with teaching BACC-preparatory English comp. and lit. in France to high school seniors, I understand Professor X's troubles. Those were students who had no choice in their learning a foreign language and being expected to churn out explications of texts in that language. Their entire entry into university depended on their BACC scores. Not only did they have to master writing in their own language but they had to do it in a second, as well. I have little sympathy for American students in regards to the academic demands placed upon them. I do, however, commiserate deeply with the adjunct —underpaid, burnt-out, frustrated.