A colleague who teaches interpersonal communication invited me to be an external grader for an exam on small talk. I appear in class, students engage me in small talk, and I grade them.
This colleague either is an extremely poor judge of interpersonal skills or really hates his students.
I’m going to make my debut as an expert on small talk after Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for updates.
Clarissa's Blog 
You said you change completely while lecturing. Being the professor grading the small talk exam may give you the opportunity to play the role of a woman who thrives in such environment.
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Or I could be particularly grumpy and intractable. That would be more fun.
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Have pity for the students. A bit grumpy is one thing, but a lot …
Even the best conversationist cannot speak with a wall, only give a lecture to it. 🙂
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I’m taking bets on which percentage of the students will try to make small talk by asking me about my accent. I’m betting 100%. If a single student abstains from mentioning the accent and will not list every Serbian or Polish individual they have ever met, I will consider the course a phenomenal success.
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” I appear in class, students engage me in small talk, and I grade them.”
You totally should bring in N as a ringer… “I can’t be here but here’s my husband… he’s a real chatterbox!”
He might never forgive you but it would be something the students would never forget….
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Bonus points if one of them can get you on your accent without directly asking you about it.
“Ah, yes, Professor Clarissa, I’m taking a course in audio production, and I’d like to include you as one of our samples …”
“Really?”
“Yes, I need you to say just three words …”
“What are the three words?”
“Moose and Squirrel.”
🙂
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Mine would be “short” and “shirt”. 😉
And gosh, wouldn’t it be a dream to meet a student with this degree of inventiveness and a sense of humor?
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This is too funny. Of all faculty members, he decided that you would be an external grader of… that?
I would give As to students subverting the purpose of this evaluation.
Ol.
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