09/06/2023
For each of my “First Day of Classes” lectures, I’ll ask my students where Home is for them by placing a pin on a virtual map of the world. It’s a lovely moment for my students to take pride in the communities that have helped to shape their lives, to see the richness in the diversity of citizenship, nationalities and cultures that make up our class community and an opportunity to emphasize the value we have in meeting, interacting and connecting with folks from all around the world.
Inevitably, in classes of the size I teach, pins on the map may miss their target location, or in an act of whimsy, a student may select an area that they have no connection to. At some point a few years ago, after listing all the countries I could that had pins near them, I made a remark that I was "so honoured to see that colleagues from the Antarctic Research Station were joining us for the class." To my delight, it generated a hearty laugh from the audience. And for a Professor like myself who has no skill for humour, seeing that I had serendipitously stumbled on a joke, I tucked that line away. And every year, I look forward to this particular First Day of Class lecture icebreaker to trot out the only joke I’ve ever made that has consistently generated year after year.
So, if you remember me making this joke in your class, know that once again, it killed 😉
