Ch-ch-ch-Changes
Time to face the strange changes, as the song goes. I'm getting ready to start Winter term. And honestly? The changes are going to be drastic. To quote another classic, my course has got "a new attitude," which contrasts nicely as I have an old student (one who failed my class because he "did the homework" but never turned anything in) who will be rejoining the party.
Change 1: Wardrobe.
It may sound silly, but I definitely learned my lesson in this department. I am starting the term off in structured jackets and high heels. I will look imposing, and there will be zero reason for them to not take me seriously.
Change 2: Technology
After spending an entire term lugging around a huge messenger bag crammed full of papers (for just one class!), I am more than ready to embrace online assignments. Other advantages include extremely firm deadlines, easily accessible grades, and more student accountability. No longer is it my responsibility to have handouts from two weeks ago available to absentee students (thankyouverymuch)! I also realized that, though it was nice to grade in hard copy, after I returned the assignments, the students just threw them away anyway. Not happening this term.
I am also, in an effort to make my life easier, trying to go more mobile, which means incorporating my new tablet into my planning and teaching. I use to be tied down to the desk tops in the Writing Lab, which meant that I could only get my computer work done when another tutor was not occupying the desk. That is just not practical with my e-assignments. So I took the plunge and bought myself a Windows Surface. I might add that it is TOTALY legit to have a mobile grade book, attendance book, and instant access to an entire class worth of assignments and journals in the easily portable two pounds that is my tablet.
Change 3: Blogs
I know, this probably should have gone as a subheading under Technology, but really, journals are a whole problem unto themselves. We're doing it. We're heading to the blogosphere.
Change 4: Two Classes
The most important change is that I am going to be teaching two sections of Composition this term, one of English Composition (which I taught last term), and one of the lower level Fundamentals of Composition. If I was occasionally baffled at the things that my Eng Comp class didn't know, I can only imagine how a lower level class will go. But that brings me to my only New Year's Resolution for the year:
To always speak mindful, encouraging, compassionate, understanding, engaging, inspiring words.
Change 1: Wardrobe.
It may sound silly, but I definitely learned my lesson in this department. I am starting the term off in structured jackets and high heels. I will look imposing, and there will be zero reason for them to not take me seriously.
Change 2: Technology
After spending an entire term lugging around a huge messenger bag crammed full of papers (for just one class!), I am more than ready to embrace online assignments. Other advantages include extremely firm deadlines, easily accessible grades, and more student accountability. No longer is it my responsibility to have handouts from two weeks ago available to absentee students (thankyouverymuch)! I also realized that, though it was nice to grade in hard copy, after I returned the assignments, the students just threw them away anyway. Not happening this term.
I am also, in an effort to make my life easier, trying to go more mobile, which means incorporating my new tablet into my planning and teaching. I use to be tied down to the desk tops in the Writing Lab, which meant that I could only get my computer work done when another tutor was not occupying the desk. That is just not practical with my e-assignments. So I took the plunge and bought myself a Windows Surface. I might add that it is TOTALY legit to have a mobile grade book, attendance book, and instant access to an entire class worth of assignments and journals in the easily portable two pounds that is my tablet.
Change 3: Blogs
I know, this probably should have gone as a subheading under Technology, but really, journals are a whole problem unto themselves. We're doing it. We're heading to the blogosphere.
Change 4: Two Classes
The most important change is that I am going to be teaching two sections of Composition this term, one of English Composition (which I taught last term), and one of the lower level Fundamentals of Composition. If I was occasionally baffled at the things that my Eng Comp class didn't know, I can only imagine how a lower level class will go. But that brings me to my only New Year's Resolution for the year:
To always speak mindful, encouraging, compassionate, understanding, engaging, inspiring words.
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