There is a time, every semester, when I feel in control. Prepared. On top of things.
That lasts about two weeks. Then I start having essays to grade, and real life hits me between the eyes. I think it's because I'm trying to do so much this semester. I have two new classes, which, of course, require constant preparation. Also, I'll be teaching a Women's Lit class this fall, so I'm doing some reading in preparation and trying to decide on which novels to teach. But I'm also re-working my Comp I classes. I've taught this course every semester since I've been at HU, and every semester I've done something different--used a new textbook or redesigned the course schedule.
So, this semester, I said "Enough." I've adopted a book I really like, and I'm sticking with it. I'm also carefully structuring the course, devising a generic syllabus that will let me make minor adjustments in what I do without changing the basic syllabus (so I can reuse it every semester), making detailed lesson plans, and compiling a course notebook. I'm tired of reinventing the wheel. All the work that I put in this semester is going to save me tons of time in the future. But the future's not here yet, and this semester's really getting to me.
Is it spring break yet?
4 comments:
I always wonder about women's lit classes. Is lit different for women than it is for men?
Certainly. There's more depth. I'm probably setting myself up for something, I know. :-)
Do you think the first comment is asking the same question?
I think that first comment is a recipe for noodle soup with soy sauce, pork, and egg.
Let's see whether I can think of some other good questions you'll hear from your students... um...
"So why are there boys in this class? I thought this class was just for girls?"
"So this is a class about romance novels, right?"
"So are we reading any Francine Rivers in this course? Redeeming Love is my favorite."
"So do feminists really believe that women are, like, better or smarter than men? Your going to teach us what the Bible says about that, won't you?"
"Are we going to read Twilight? All the girls I know LOVE twilight. It's, like, a woman's dream, right?"
(I actually have some serious questions out of curiosity where you're going with this course, but I thought I'd throw the good ones out there first... haha)
And yes, the "your" for "you're" in that one question was intentional.
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