MyCourses are a Joke

 
“I finally figured out what this course is about, Sam”
a student turned to me in class some years ago. “
It’s about  us.”
 
The US in every course is the CONTEXT which surrounds
the texts. It is the Background to the Figure—which is the
token topic subject-object matter of the course.  
 
When the figure/ground (context/text) relationship is reversed
and context  becomes “text,” background becomes “figure”—
you have a  strange reversal:
 
Can the context become more engaging  than the text?
The"studiers" more significant than the studied?
Collaborative mess and guess  more “edifying” than
individuation and individual achievement?
 
          “We’re having The Same Conversation
       round and round and not getting anywhere.”
(The 19^th c. class—maybe  Fiction and Linguistics somewhat)
 
(All conversations are CONVERSATION going on and so
they are The SAME DEAL. Different token topics and subject
matter, sure—but what do you focus your efficient attention
on: the difference or the SAME?    Are you a student of
CONVERSATION—or the devilish nitty-gritty variations
called “content.”   
 
[[With 3 chords (I, IV, V) you can generate infinite blues
pop, country & western songs.  IF you are a guitarist,
and you only “study” individual songs, you ignore the
SAME structure (progression) that mothers all of them.
Get smart: consider the beauty of SAME.  Divirsity’s a no
brainer. ]]  
 
My pedagogy (for good and for ill) aims to cultivate (educe)
What You Already Know—not inform you with stuff you don’t
already know ( facts, data, statistics, information—the proper
agenda in them other classes)
 
Imagine the presumption. How could hyping up, disclosing,
exposing, revealing What We Already Know as we attempt
or don’t attempt to Figure IT Out be worth the price of
admission?
 
I’m asking.  

If I told you the answer, that would be like them regular
courses. ________________  Write this down.
It’ll be on  the final exam.  .
 
                My courses are a joke.
          Punch line is up for grabs.  Get IT?
 
(Indo European yek – to say, speak – “joke,” “jocose,"
 “jocular” “jeopardy” “juggle” all in the yek family. )
 
          .