Dr. Technical? Where did that come from?

My class from Wayland Baptist University, Kenya Campus.  March 2012

Glad you asked.   Having been through school for many years (17 years of post-graduate study), you manage to develop some technical skills and knowledge.  And my students will tell you that I do grade content and grammar (communication ability) with some measure of detail.  However, the moniker "Dr Technical" relates to my time in Kenya.  One of my older students in 2009, Pius Watene, noted that I was very detailed in my grading of exams.  In fact, he was rather surprised that I took the time to read the whole exam from every student and grade the details.  So, in an effort to describe my detailed grading, he said, in front of the whole class, "You are so TECHNICAL."  I think there was a measure of frustration in his voice, but I must admit it made me laugh because I have never seen myself as "technical".  And having a Kikuyu tribal accent (in which the "k" sound is often followed with a vowel sound), the term "technical" came out "Tech-i-nical."  And so now, in Kenya, my friends who help with the Wayland Campus and the Kenya Baptist Theological College all call me Dr. Technical, pronounced, Tech-i-nical.   The extra syllable makes it that much sweeter, really.  I get it referenced in my emails and other correspondence.  They tell me everyone gets a title when they come to teach.  So, Dr. Technical is mine.  I will wear it with pride, although I am not sure I will always live up to the hype.   I have never truly been a stickler for details when it comes to rules.  I always err on the pragmatic side of things.  But when it comes to grading, you gotta stick with the plan, so to speak.  I guess that makes me more technical than I would have thought. 

Anyway, that is the short version of the story, and the reason why I have taken the moniker Dr. Technical.  I guess it beats being Dr. Comatose.  I didn't feel the need to find out where that moniker came from  . . . .