Maybe Not What the Instructor Had In Mind

So I've been taking these seminars on instructing first year college students. So far we've discussed ways of learning, course descriptions, that sort of thing. Today we were discussing syllabi. Here's what occurred today. I thought I would share.

INSTRUCTOR: Think of your syllabus as a metaphor. How would you describe your syllabus.

CLASS ponders a moment.

YOUNG PROF #1: (proudly) A journey!

YOUNG PROF #2: A roadmap! (beams)

YOUNG PROF #3: A musical! (happily)

ME: A Mexican Inquisition broadside.

EVERYONE: ???

ME: A list of proscribed materials, followed by a description of how you can be excommunicated, followed by a list of ways you can save yourself.

EVERYONE: ...Ookay!

Yeah. I put the "special" in "special teaching methods" don't I?