January 27, 2013

  • give me an experience!

    Ya know what it was about the awesome teachers I had? 

    They gave their students an experience.
    It might not have been that they taught English or literature or composition, but a few of the great ones - to me - were those who came in and gave us an intriguing 50+ minutes. They were engaging. They were interesting even when the material - um, Dr. Cummings with Educational Psychology! - wasn't. They went off base and came back. Sometimes.
    I think it's hit me that I need to treat ALL my classes like they are Creative Writing ones. When I'd walk into that classroom last spring, I didn't have anxiety about covering X, Y, and Z. I knew I would. I knew we'd cover things eventually in that hour+, so I didn't focus on that. Sure, those students WANTED to be there. They WANTED to write weird stuff. I didn't have to sell them on the class, but that doesn't mean I have to assume that - or care - about my other classes, the required ones.
    I think it was two Fridays ago. In my 1pm class that is mostly John Deere guys I had in Eng105, I kind of just let go of getting in there and shooting right to X, Y, Z. Instead, we chatted and laughed and then I said, "Okay, here's what we should get to, how would you all like to accomplish these things?" They opted to skip a video and have something due IN class (less homework). Okay then. No biggie. No skin off my back. Yeah. It was nice. Sure, they aren't going to say, "Oh my goodness, I love writing and Sybil's great," but as a student - and teacher - who wants another thing to NOT look forward to? I don't. I have enough of those in the form of other things. My classes should be relaxed; that may aid the students in liking to write anyhow... maybe. And if not, at least my anxiety goes away & we still kind of have fun.
    The week ahead: 
    I don't think I have a meeting until Thursday = Assessment. And my 10am class has writing conferences M, T, R... and I have a car appt (had to reschedule from this last Monday due to being sick) on Tuesday afternoon up north. Plus, hopefully, this semi-leftover-cold will diminish completely, too. Yeah.