Teaching
It has been more than three months since I last posted. After my stint of being homeless, my societal status was elevated drastically by getting a job teaching at the university . I started getting ready for classes and put on a dress shirt and nice pants for my first lecture in the middle of May. I wasn't sure exactly what to do about my hobo website but I knew I didn't want my students to think I was a homeless bum. Therefore, I did what an ostrich would do. Forget about it and hope that it didn't come up.
As it turns out, if this incident teaches us anything, it is that the ostrich knows best. As far as I can tell, my students do not think that I am a homeless bum. In fact, most of them call me professor and the rest call me sir (except for one who calls me tim). I still have two lectures left, but jeers of "How's sleeping in the office, you bum?" seem remote.
As it stands now, I have taught ten lectures, with two left. I have spent far more time teaching than I should have, and far too little time making progress towards graduating. Nonetheless, the final exam is due in the departmental office one week from tomorrow and the day after that I leave for Scotland for a 2 1/2 week stint learning about logic and language and wandering the highlands that some of my ancestors deserted for the heaven that is Canada. What this means for me is that teaching is done except for a few emails and marking the final exam.
All in all, it has been a great experience. I would recommend trying teaching to everyone. I learned a lot about setting assignments and having firm policies. I also learned a lot about dealing with large groups of people. No matter what you do, someone will have a question about it, so don't bother making things absolutely crystal clear.
Look for more posts on the summer and the upcoming trip to Scotland.
As it turns out, if this incident teaches us anything, it is that the ostrich knows best. As far as I can tell, my students do not think that I am a homeless bum. In fact, most of them call me professor and the rest call me sir (except for one who calls me tim). I still have two lectures left, but jeers of "How's sleeping in the office, you bum?" seem remote.
As it stands now, I have taught ten lectures, with two left. I have spent far more time teaching than I should have, and far too little time making progress towards graduating. Nonetheless, the final exam is due in the departmental office one week from tomorrow and the day after that I leave for Scotland for a 2 1/2 week stint learning about logic and language and wandering the highlands that some of my ancestors deserted for the heaven that is Canada. What this means for me is that teaching is done except for a few emails and marking the final exam.
All in all, it has been a great experience. I would recommend trying teaching to everyone. I learned a lot about setting assignments and having firm policies. I also learned a lot about dealing with large groups of people. No matter what you do, someone will have a question about it, so don't bother making things absolutely crystal clear.
Look for more posts on the summer and the upcoming trip to Scotland.
posted by Timothy Fowler at 7/25/2005 04:23:00 PM
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