Evaluating the Final Results of Digital Marketing Exam
Finished the marathon exercise of evaluating the final results of Digital Marketing Exam for 93 students of BIM, Trichy. While correcting these papers on a flight, a SpiceJet air-hostess must have sympathized with me for she offered me a complimentary coffee and said, ‘Professor, I felt you needed this drink’.
The daunting task of correcting the answer sheets. My students put in a lot of work and I take the corrections seriously.
At My Class – BIM, Trichy
What do you do to stop your students from dozing off? Get Balloons !! They work like magic! At BIM, Trichy, I had to teach 5 hours each day and had to figure some fun activities to break the monotony. Before the class, we secretly taped the balloons under the chairs. Mid-way during the class, I asked them to fish the balloons out, blow them and hit them around. 100 balloons flying around with just one rule. Even if one touches the ground, the entire class loses. You should’ve watched the fun. Two minutes later, we were back to the lessons refreshed. — at Bharathidasan Institute of Management
Discrimination over denims?
For the record, this is exactly how I went dressed for my talk at RMD College of Engineering. (minus the mustache). I still can’t believe they would send me back for ‘inappropriate dressing’.
BTW, this incident has made it to today’s edition of The Hindu Newspaper. Here is the full article in verbatim.
Discrimination over denims?
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CHENNAI: Dress code is serious business in many city colleges – so much so that even prominent guests invited to deliver lectures are asked to leave if they are not dressed ‘appropriately’.
On Wednesday at 8:30a.m, when city based blogger Kiruba Shankar arrived at R.M.D College of Engineering to deliver a lecture on entrepreneurship, he was informed by college officials that the pair of denims he was wearing was ‘not allowed’ on the college campus and that he would need to change into a pair of formal trousers before he gave his lecture.
“I was dressed in my signature attire – formal shirt, corduroy jacket, blue denims and suede leather shoes. This is the similar attire I have worn for all my teaching assignments and corporate meetings….Never once had I faced a problem.” wrote Mr.Shankar on Facebook. When contracted, Mr.Shankar said he had no problems with the college, but was upset that the authorities refused to let him speak to students.
He said he was offered formal clothes to change into but refused to do so. “You cannot impose your dress code rules on a visiting entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley to Bangalore are dressed in casuals. What matters is how hard they work, and how different they think.” he also said he had never been told about the college’s dress code.
R.M.D College officials however, said that they had informed Mr.Shankar about the dress code. “We are very particular about our rules and expect everyone, including guest lecturers to follow them,” said a senior official.
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The last paragraph is very interesting. All this time, the college professors were apologizing to me for not letting me know about the dress code beforehand. Now, as soon as a press correspondent called them, they did not hesitate to lie otherwise. Hmm!
Other than this, I have nothing against the college or the authorities. The staff have been kind and cordial. I only hope they start respecting their guests better and put their students’ interest before lame rules.
276 comments. 559 shares. 1322 Likes for the FB update on the incident. There is clearly a message from the public and the students. I sincerely hope the college authorities are listening and have the positive attitude to change.
The Hindu Newspaper Article link: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chennai-blogger-kiruba-shankar-not-allowed-in-college-for-wearing-jeans/article5023240.ece
14th Year at Madras AdClub
Today marks a landmark day as I begin my first class for the present batch of students at Madras AdClub. I started my classes in 2000 as a scrawny guy and am happy that they continue to invite me back.
The reason why I love teaching at AdClub is because students join the course of their own interest. Not by parents’ compulsion. This makes a huge difference. They come from different fields…. I’ve had students who are doctors, lawyers, accountants, software pros, theater artists and engineers. Brilliant diversity.
And oh, they let me wear jeans!