But …

• Two students showed up for class sans the first draft of the second required writing assignment. Syllabus: “F” for no-show first drafts.
• Another student text messaging. Syllabus: Warning for first offense (said warning already given to the class earlier in the semester), F in class participation for second offense, F for the course for the tertiary offense.
• Another typing merrily away, working, conspicuously, on a resume after class has started and the instructor is speaking. Syllabus: Warning for first offense; F in class participation for a second offense; F for the course for a third. This is the fourth.

“Flunk-you-if-s …” barked at the two violating class protocol, the barking sparing the resume-typist a F for the course – the No equanimity, No F Protocol in effect: An instructor should never flunk a student in the heat of a reprimand/scolding/ dressing down. Sobriety, sobriety always sobriety, even in the face of mass insolence.

Dismissive equanimity for the writers sans drafts. No barking here.

Two other unprepared writers unable to participate/engage in a planned in-class exercise because they didn’t bring required USB drives to class nor took advantage of a backup safety measure to do the assignment at home. No barking here.

Two others unprepared, lost/forgot passwords, unable to sign on to a class Wiki for the in-class exercise planned today. No barking here, exasperation mounting, however.

Three no-shows (probably because they didn’t have assignments at the ready). No barking here, of course. Exasperation mounts, nevertheless.

All revelations in the first 15 minutes of class. Five more minutes and it was Exit Stage Left, though in this case, ESL was Right Out the HN 470 door.

End of Part I