So, grades are in...
And .. I ... well.
I've done well.
I don't get it either. But apparently, there it is. Whoomp.
So, I've been receiving papers back from professors and reading them while walking home from work. There's usually been lots of 'good job' marks and other such comments that make me smile, then feel bad for smiling about myself, but still leave me with a sense of personal pride. My wrestling with personal pride is a whole other post, but I don't think that will happen as ... I'm still wrestling. Heh.
Anyways, let's start things off from the top. I went to a website Luther Seminary has called 'myLutherNet'. Basically, it's where all student stuff is centralized, links to classes, rosters, syllabi, schedules, registrar, calendar, grades, account balances, etc. From there I looked up my grades:
Luther Seminary - Grades for Thomas Jackson (as of 6/2/2007)
Course Number / Course Name / Credits / Grade
ST 1415 01 / CREATION/GOD / 1 / A-
IC 1615 01 / READING THE AUD / 1 / A-
EL 1515 F6 / EDUCATION I / 0.5 / P
MU 1520 F6 / CHURCH & MUSIC / 0.5 / A-
PR 1510 F6 / TELLING/STORY / 0.5 / P
IC 2620 / CONFESSIONS / 1 / P*
HC 6395 S6 / 20TH C AM THEOL / 0.5 / P
When I saw that, I was pretty happy. However, the *'d class, Lutheran Confessional Writings, was one I had requested to receive a letter grade in. So, I emailed the prof:
Dr. Paulson,
It was my understanding that having submitted one of those forms toward
the beginning of the Spring Semester, I was to be given a letter grade
instead of the Pass-Fail grade.
While examining my grades through the myluthernet, I noticed that I was
given a P for Confessional Writings. While appreciated, I was wondering if
it is too late to have this changed to the letter grade I requested.
Thanks for your time,
Tom Jackson
tjackson001
To which I received;
I am sending in an A grade, sorry for the mixup.
Dr. Paulson
woot!
As I have been reading the papers on the way home, the comments have been largely encouraging:
- Concerning my Reading The Audiences - Final Paper; This is a very thoughtful and interesting paper - not least because of the way you combine ideas of mission and an almost meditative style. You have learned well from many different parts of the course and you have integrated your insights well. You remind me a little of a wonderful rural pastor (who is also a philosopher and historian clothed in the garb of a farmer - which he is also), who listens profoundly to others and learns a great deal. His name is Bob Dahlen, from Goodrich, MN (far north). I think you are correct that many of the classic themes of the Pauline and Lutheran understanding of God in Christ and the way the Holy Spirit works on us and then through us still may have great value today. Even the radical view of sin is needed more than every today, because we have found so many new scapegoats by way of which to downplay our guilt and responsibility. Pascal said that the notion of original sin is terribly offensive, yet without it we have no way to understand ourselves. But Americans and even Lutherans keep trying to get rid of it rather than acknowledging it and turning to God in repentance (which he invites us to do, giving the spriit that work as the means to change us). Listening will serve you and all of us well, I think. - Dr. Marc Kolden
- Concerning my IC 2620 - Lutheran Confessional Writings - Final Paper; good ... creative and well grounded ... nicely done ... Thomas, you are functioning at a high level, let's keep in touch - Dr. Steven Paulson
- Concerning my Reading The Audiences - Reflection Paper; nice and true ... nice observation ... good reflective piece ... Thomas, well presented and straight forward. I think you have captured the work and learned from this particular situation - Dr. Terri Elton
- Concerning my HC 6395 Paper - A Common Enemy A Common Cause; excellent paper ... worked very well in class ... thank you for this - Dr. Walter Sundberg
- Concerning my HC 6395 Paper - Black Theology & Black Power; excellent paragraph ... this is the best analysis/defense of Cone's position of all the papers in the class. You cut through Cone's excesses to get to the basics. Well done. - Dr. Walter Sundberg
Still no word about my systematic paper, but I see that prof on Tuesday ... so hopefully all goes well.
I've done well.
I don't get it either. But apparently, there it is. Whoomp.
So, I've been receiving papers back from professors and reading them while walking home from work. There's usually been lots of 'good job' marks and other such comments that make me smile, then feel bad for smiling about myself, but still leave me with a sense of personal pride. My wrestling with personal pride is a whole other post, but I don't think that will happen as ... I'm still wrestling. Heh.
Anyways, let's start things off from the top. I went to a website Luther Seminary has called 'myLutherNet'. Basically, it's where all student stuff is centralized, links to classes, rosters, syllabi, schedules, registrar, calendar, grades, account balances, etc. From there I looked up my grades:
Luther Seminary - Grades for Thomas Jackson (as of 6/2/2007)
Course Number / Course Name / Credits / Grade
ST 1415 01 / CREATION/GOD / 1 / A-
IC 1615 01 / READING THE AUD / 1 / A-
EL 1515 F6 / EDUCATION I / 0.5 / P
MU 1520 F6 / CHURCH & MUSIC / 0.5 / A-
PR 1510 F6 / TELLING/STORY / 0.5 / P
IC 2620 / CONFESSIONS / 1 / P*
HC 6395 S6 / 20TH C AM THEOL / 0.5 / P
When I saw that, I was pretty happy. However, the *'d class, Lutheran Confessional Writings, was one I had requested to receive a letter grade in. So, I emailed the prof:
Dr. Paulson,
It was my understanding that having submitted one of those forms toward
the beginning of the Spring Semester, I was to be given a letter grade
instead of the Pass-Fail grade.
While examining my grades through the myluthernet, I noticed that I was
given a P for Confessional Writings. While appreciated, I was wondering if
it is too late to have this changed to the letter grade I requested.
Thanks for your time,
Tom Jackson
tjackson001
To which I received;
I am sending in an A grade, sorry for the mixup.
Dr. Paulson
woot!
As I have been reading the papers on the way home, the comments have been largely encouraging:
- Concerning my Reading The Audiences - Final Paper; This is a very thoughtful and interesting paper - not least because of the way you combine ideas of mission and an almost meditative style. You have learned well from many different parts of the course and you have integrated your insights well. You remind me a little of a wonderful rural pastor (who is also a philosopher and historian clothed in the garb of a farmer - which he is also), who listens profoundly to others and learns a great deal. His name is Bob Dahlen, from Goodrich, MN (far north). I think you are correct that many of the classic themes of the Pauline and Lutheran understanding of God in Christ and the way the Holy Spirit works on us and then through us still may have great value today. Even the radical view of sin is needed more than every today, because we have found so many new scapegoats by way of which to downplay our guilt and responsibility. Pascal said that the notion of original sin is terribly offensive, yet without it we have no way to understand ourselves. But Americans and even Lutherans keep trying to get rid of it rather than acknowledging it and turning to God in repentance (which he invites us to do, giving the spriit that work as the means to change us). Listening will serve you and all of us well, I think. - Dr. Marc Kolden
- Concerning my IC 2620 - Lutheran Confessional Writings - Final Paper; good ... creative and well grounded ... nicely done ... Thomas, you are functioning at a high level, let's keep in touch - Dr. Steven Paulson
- Concerning my Reading The Audiences - Reflection Paper; nice and true ... nice observation ... good reflective piece ... Thomas, well presented and straight forward. I think you have captured the work and learned from this particular situation - Dr. Terri Elton
- Concerning my HC 6395 Paper - A Common Enemy A Common Cause; excellent paper ... worked very well in class ... thank you for this - Dr. Walter Sundberg
- Concerning my HC 6395 Paper - Black Theology & Black Power; excellent paragraph ... this is the best analysis/defense of Cone's position of all the papers in the class. You cut through Cone's excesses to get to the basics. Well done. - Dr. Walter Sundberg
Still no word about my systematic paper, but I see that prof on Tuesday ... so hopefully all goes well.