Day One

I finished my first solo an hour ago. Siting in my cubicle just before class, I was nervous and tense. I remembered some of the tips I learned way back in the drama course I took two falls past, and used them. They helped a great deal, surprise something I learned in school actually having an application! I also used some of my cognitive training to redirect my anxiety. I said, yes I am nervous, but that is normal in this situation. However, I said I am also excited and looking forward to meeting my class. That is, in some ways, quite strange. There I am, in front of 22 strange faces, and I am looking forward to meeting them.

Before entering class, I had an entire sequence of events worked out. I would walk downstairs, down the hall, open the class door, and let every one in. when I actually stepped out of the stairwell, the door to my class was wide open, and there was a strange person standing in my space. Ack! I think to me, me I says, did I make some kind of major gaffe? Fortunately the woman standing there began walking out mumbling something about wrongly placed signs and some such, but really, her anxiety, I think, made her make an error. So, my class had a bit of a surprise to start their afternoon off.

Given my own distaste for the first class icebreakers that I have had to endure, I kept the one in my class short and sweet. I had them say their name, first and last, and where they were from, and that was it. I believe the first day is stressful enough without having to torture the students. And these ice breakers are not really for the students benefit but the teachers. From there I walked through the syllabus, then through some of the resources available, and finally gave them the first diagnostic. Low stakes writing, but some writing nonetheless. This is a writing course, they need to start by writing.

I answered some questions about the assignment, and sent them on their way. They managed to get out a few minutes early, so they should be mixed in their reactions, happy to escape early, disappointed to have to actually do some work.

The best part of the whole experience is that I enjoyed myself even though I was nervous at the start.

So, the first day went well, though I can't help wondering what they thought of weird old me.

And so

it begins. My summer ends and I have to start thinking once more. A painful and unsettling idea to try to contain within my aging brain box. This morning's meeting will be a long and painful event. I suspect it will be like the monthly safety meetings I had to sit through back in Cold Lake. Mandatory events are hard to attend. I could sit through a long movie or play, if it were something I wanted to see, without too much whinging, but these things are quite horrid. My plan to make it less horrid is to walk to school. Hopefully that will ease some of the blechs and blahs I have this morning.

The next four months will be busy, but we hope they will also be interesting. This is a strange position to be in. I feel a bit unseated. The patterns and pieces of my life no longer fit seamlessly or easily.

I will likely not update this site until Thursday or Friday, after I have taught my first class or two all alone.

Friday August 15

It is extremely quiet this morning. It is cold enough outside that the ac is not running, so, for the first time in a long time the blowers are not running. I can hear the cats stomach rumbling from here, and that is a long way for sound to travel, trust me.

I have been semi-stressed this week. I submitted my syllabus for comments Monday, and I have not heard back yet.I have been tinkering with it all week, and I am reasonably satisfied with what I have, but I need to get the feedback or I will implode.

Next week will be busy. I have a comp thing Monday morning, an MFA thing Tuesday, my first workshop Wednesday, and then the class I am teaching Thursday and Friday. My class syllabus may be online Monday, and it may be openly accessible. If so, I will put a link here for those who are interested in seeing what I have been doing lately.In the meantime you can go here and scroll down to see me listed among faculty/staff. Reality encourages the urge to flee to somewhere warm, say one of the Caribbean islands? It is all experience in one form or the other I suppose.

My course site is now live if you want to oooh and ahhhh. Just click here.

August 8

It is my sister's birthday today. I hope she has a great day, buys a winning lotto ticket and is able to retire and live the kind of life she deserves.

Today is also the end of the hectic week of work in the teaching intensive workshop. I have enjoyed the course so far, and I have learned a great deal. It is beneficial to enter a course with very little knowledge so that upon completion you have come a far distance. I think it would have been very boring if I had entered with more knowledge and experience than I did. Still, it has been a lot of work, challenging, and always interesting. There have been some great discussions throughout, and I must admit, my fellow classmates intimidate me at times.

Daph cat is doing much better now, she had her last pill Monday morning, and this morning she is sitting on the arm of my easy chair doing the purr/rub the monitor thing. I think she wants me to check her email for her, but I don't see why she can't do that herself.

School begins in 12 days.

August 5

Day one was busy, and interesting. I learned a great deal about teaching and the problem associated with creating a syllabus that agrees with my philosophy. I have known for a number of years that a syllabus actually reflects a teachers ideology, and as I learn more I think they go deeper and reflect the teachers personality as well. That is not really news, or a startling insight, it is even part of an essay I read last night, so... The point then is that my syllabus will tell the students who I am, though they may not have enough experience with them to realize that these texts can be close read as well.

Any way, it was a fun day, and today should be interesting as well.

On a side note, today's high should be 98 (real feel 101)! Ain't summer grand?

August 4

Today I begin my week long intensive so you want to be a comp teacher training course. I was a bit stressed last night, but I feel fine this morning. It will feel strange doing a full day once again. I have become accustomed to short days at school. I suppose the weirdest part of this whole thing is that in just 16 days I will start my first class. I am looking forward to it as well as fearing it, a common reaction I would guess.

The weather has been great here lately, though once again we need rain. We have received more this year than last, but not as much as we need.

I gave Daph her last pill this morning, we have been doing the swallow the pill thing long enough that she has become accustomed to having it happen. In fact, this morning she swallowed when she could have spit. She seems to be better, but still not very active. This house is full of inactivity, though the humans in it are still busy. The second law of thermodynamics in action (or inaction?). Ahh, equilibrium, how we are satisfied with our routine.