Writing should be an important topic in schools, but the more I teach, the more I realize it’s not stressed nearly enough. This month, I am teaching a “Fundamentals of English” college course. This course teaches the basics of English to students. I cover parts of speech as well as basic writing skills, and I try to do it in 12 hours a week for four weeks.
Really, it’s not nearly enough time. The students need more time to practice, more time to assimilate the information, and more work to do. In some cases, I deal with students who don’t have a clue what a complete sentence is, let alone how to identify a run-on sentence. There are also students who just don’t grasp why the parts of speech are important, even after I give my puzzle analogy. I tend to work my tail off these four weeks and go home exhausted every night, but I also find it more fulfilling than the higher level classes.
In the higher level writing courses, they have been jaded to the writing process and just don’t want to do it. They have also reached a certain “in school laziness” where they are more willing to slough off the work to the last minute. In the Fundamentals class, they are at least still somewhat excited to the new process of school.
But, in all cases, the writing abilities of some of my students saddens me. How is it that our country is producing graduates who don’t know how to communicate properly? And why have we let it go on thus far? Currently, we are a nation at the top of the heap, but we can’t bring ourselves to educate our children to continue that trend. Instead, we produce citizens who don’t know what their rights are, don’t know how to communicate those rights, and, even worse, are too apathetic to care.
It seems the baby boomer generation, the one that produced the changes in the 60’s and 70’s, did not imbue their children with the same restless spirit. Well, most of them at least (I know my mom did). But they also did not give their children the work ethic that our grandparents had. Our country has lost its inventive spark because it’s too much effort to create, whether it be creation of the lightbulb or creation of a book.
Showing posts with label class. Show all posts
Showing posts with label class. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Friday, April 30, 2010
Finally! The end of April!
Today is the first day in a long while that I have had a chance to sit down and write. My class for April finished yesterday and I submitted the grades last night. Whiteybare also moved in officially this week, so that has added to the busy schedule of the household. But, I now have a 3 day break before my May class begins. Whatever shall I do with all this spare time.
Well, today I made strawberry-blueberry muffins for breakfast. Admittedly, they came from a mix, but Little Guy doesn't seem to mind too much. I'm looking forward to making actual strawberry muffins when our strawberries start producing this year. Provided, of course, that we get to them before the animals do. I also have plans for an Italian Beef pizza at some point, on homemade pizza dough.
The dough would obviously be made in our breadmaker (which has been a gift from the gods). And requires the leftovers from the Crockpot Italian beef Sandwiches I made this week. (Thanks to eatathome.com!) I had plans to do this whole homemade dinner thing, but our kitchen is a mess and I can't stand working in it. There isn't enough room or clean dishes, and I end up getting all tense inside. It's generally Big Guy's job to do the dishes but, like everything else, dishes fell to the wayside with all the other chores.
I am also going to work on the calendar and family room today and start getting our schedule back on track. I want to get this place back to a point where I don't want to set it on fire and run screaming into the night. Though, with a 4 year old hurricane running through the house, that may NEVER happen. I need to get done what I can today.
This weekend we're going out of town, though things aren't going to be nearly as pressed as I thought they were. Saturday we're heading up to Holland, MI to see my sister-in-law. Sunday is NOT Mother's Day. I say that only because I trule thought it was for the past month. It's a welcome surprise though because now I'm not trying to figure out how to fit everything in.
Monday starts my May class and I am teaching Fundamentals of English again. It will give me a good ten minutes at the end of class to write something while the class does their freewriting, so I hope to get back on the blogging track as well!
Well, today I made strawberry-blueberry muffins for breakfast. Admittedly, they came from a mix, but Little Guy doesn't seem to mind too much. I'm looking forward to making actual strawberry muffins when our strawberries start producing this year. Provided, of course, that we get to them before the animals do. I also have plans for an Italian Beef pizza at some point, on homemade pizza dough.
The dough would obviously be made in our breadmaker (which has been a gift from the gods). And requires the leftovers from the Crockpot Italian beef Sandwiches I made this week. (Thanks to eatathome.com!) I had plans to do this whole homemade dinner thing, but our kitchen is a mess and I can't stand working in it. There isn't enough room or clean dishes, and I end up getting all tense inside. It's generally Big Guy's job to do the dishes but, like everything else, dishes fell to the wayside with all the other chores.
I am also going to work on the calendar and family room today and start getting our schedule back on track. I want to get this place back to a point where I don't want to set it on fire and run screaming into the night. Though, with a 4 year old hurricane running through the house, that may NEVER happen. I need to get done what I can today.
This weekend we're going out of town, though things aren't going to be nearly as pressed as I thought they were. Saturday we're heading up to Holland, MI to see my sister-in-law. Sunday is NOT Mother's Day. I say that only because I trule thought it was for the past month. It's a welcome surprise though because now I'm not trying to figure out how to fit everything in.
Monday starts my May class and I am teaching Fundamentals of English again. It will give me a good ten minutes at the end of class to write something while the class does their freewriting, so I hope to get back on the blogging track as well!
Friday, March 26, 2010
This month has been rough!
Well, this month's class is over and I am thrilled to reach the end of the month. this month was harder than usual due to the illness that went raging through the house. After it laid us up for a week, I realized that I had lost so much time and missed the grading I needed to get done. It was horrible trying to catch up. But last night at 9:30, I filled in the last blank spot in my gradebook and submitted my grades.
Another month down and now I have a week off. This break is definitely needed and I will be taking advantage of it. Part of it is going to be spent finishing the recuperation process from this illness. There will also be cleaning, crocheting and hopefully calmness. I need to do some prep for next month, but I am free baby!
Little Guy and I are going to continue to work on the potty thing. He's still balking at the potty, He wants to do what he wants to do and doesn't want to take a break to sit on the potty. It's turning into a major headache but I cannot give in. We've relegated diapers to sleep-time. And, unfortunately, I've learned that sleep time cannot include rest-time in the front room because he'll take advantage of it.
However, this weekend we have a birthday party to attend and I am rapidly realizing that Easter is approaching and we have gotten NOTHING for Little Guy. This needs to change.
Another month down and now I have a week off. This break is definitely needed and I will be taking advantage of it. Part of it is going to be spent finishing the recuperation process from this illness. There will also be cleaning, crocheting and hopefully calmness. I need to do some prep for next month, but I am free baby!
Little Guy and I are going to continue to work on the potty thing. He's still balking at the potty, He wants to do what he wants to do and doesn't want to take a break to sit on the potty. It's turning into a major headache but I cannot give in. We've relegated diapers to sleep-time. And, unfortunately, I've learned that sleep time cannot include rest-time in the front room because he'll take advantage of it.
However, this weekend we have a birthday party to attend and I am rapidly realizing that Easter is approaching and we have gotten NOTHING for Little Guy. This needs to change.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Potty Watch and Midterms
I'm taking advantage of the silence this morning to sit down and write this entry. Little Guy is still asleep and so my busy day hasn't started yet. I watched my Orange County Housewives reunion show and ate a bagel. I'm enjoying the silence so far.
Yesterday was full of screaming and wailing as I put the kibosh on fun times unless potty time was implemented. By the end of the day yesterday, I was more than ready to close the day with a seriously strong drink. I am realizing that my son is more than capable of holding his own line, even in the face of an upset mommy and daddy. However, because of that, I spent a lot of time with an angry, screaming, whining 4 year old who could not understand why mommy would not help him or give him what he wanted.
Tonight is the midterm night for this month's class and they have a paper due tonight as well. I am still scrambling to finish up the papers from the first week, and I have almost finished. However, a comment from a student threw me into a tizzy and now I am trying to decide how or even if to approach it with the students who were upset by it. Right now, I am leaning towards getting a feel for the emotions of the class today, a full 48 hours after "the incident" and seeing if it needs to be addressed or not.
In the meantime, I'll get back to grading. Ugh. And here's Little Guy... Time for another day of potty drama and cuteness!
Yesterday was full of screaming and wailing as I put the kibosh on fun times unless potty time was implemented. By the end of the day yesterday, I was more than ready to close the day with a seriously strong drink. I am realizing that my son is more than capable of holding his own line, even in the face of an upset mommy and daddy. However, because of that, I spent a lot of time with an angry, screaming, whining 4 year old who could not understand why mommy would not help him or give him what he wanted.
Tonight is the midterm night for this month's class and they have a paper due tonight as well. I am still scrambling to finish up the papers from the first week, and I have almost finished. However, a comment from a student threw me into a tizzy and now I am trying to decide how or even if to approach it with the students who were upset by it. Right now, I am leaning towards getting a feel for the emotions of the class today, a full 48 hours after "the incident" and seeing if it needs to be addressed or not.
In the meantime, I'll get back to grading. Ugh. And here's Little Guy... Time for another day of potty drama and cuteness!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Another Month, another class
Class started last night and I am teaching Comp. II this month. I actually miss my Fundamentals class because they, at least, recognize they have a problem and need to be there. I have been faced with students in the upper level comp. classes who don't understand why they need to know how to write. There are times that attitude is very daunting for a professor. No one has yet said something like that to me this month, but the month only has just begun.
The biggest problem I had last night came in the last half hour of class when a number of students just got up and left. They decided the class was done, and therefore they left. This was while I was still lecturing. In response, I gave the remainder of class a homework assignment that the others will not be able to make up. I would like to know what prompts people to do that. Our classes are scheduled until 9:50 at night. If we get out early, so much the better, but if we don't then we don't
Honestly, though, that lack of caring and respect towards education is exactly why I am glad I teach at a college. In high school, you are required to care whether or not the students care. In college, I am there to teach the students who are there. If you show up and participate n my class, you'll get much more out of it. If you choose to show up and not participate or not show up at all... Well, that's your problem not mine. I give the students plenty of opportunities to pass and give them more help than I probably should, certainly more help than Big Guy feels I should give them. I do want them to pass though. I want them to succeed.
But, in the end, their choice whether to put forth the effort or not remains their choice. If they choose not to, I cannot help them. And that is the worst part of teaching. I can't make them stay, I can't make them participate, I can't make them do what they need to. All I can do is present the information and interact with those who are interested.
Despite that, for some reason I do love to teach. I love getting in front of people and discussing the finer points of books or grammar. I like teaching a subject I am truly passionate about, and honestly, how can you NOT love the English language or grammar. It's intricate and twisty because we stole so much from so many other languages.
Part of that has to do with the British Empire's desire to control the entirety of the globe. But it also has to do with everyone wanting to take of the islands of Ireland and England. The Vikings and the French most notably donated quite a bit to the formation of the English language, but then the English went everywhere else on the crusades and, as a result, assimilated so much.
When you start explaining that to the students, they start to perk up and pay attention. It gets better when you explain how all literature is tied in to sex and they start really listening. All of a sudden, English becomes an interesting subject. And my goal in teaching is that the majority of my students end up leaving my class more interested in the subject than when they started. I think I'm doing OK.
The biggest problem I had last night came in the last half hour of class when a number of students just got up and left. They decided the class was done, and therefore they left. This was while I was still lecturing. In response, I gave the remainder of class a homework assignment that the others will not be able to make up. I would like to know what prompts people to do that. Our classes are scheduled until 9:50 at night. If we get out early, so much the better, but if we don't then we don't
Honestly, though, that lack of caring and respect towards education is exactly why I am glad I teach at a college. In high school, you are required to care whether or not the students care. In college, I am there to teach the students who are there. If you show up and participate n my class, you'll get much more out of it. If you choose to show up and not participate or not show up at all... Well, that's your problem not mine. I give the students plenty of opportunities to pass and give them more help than I probably should, certainly more help than Big Guy feels I should give them. I do want them to pass though. I want them to succeed.
But, in the end, their choice whether to put forth the effort or not remains their choice. If they choose not to, I cannot help them. And that is the worst part of teaching. I can't make them stay, I can't make them participate, I can't make them do what they need to. All I can do is present the information and interact with those who are interested.
Despite that, for some reason I do love to teach. I love getting in front of people and discussing the finer points of books or grammar. I like teaching a subject I am truly passionate about, and honestly, how can you NOT love the English language or grammar. It's intricate and twisty because we stole so much from so many other languages.
Part of that has to do with the British Empire's desire to control the entirety of the globe. But it also has to do with everyone wanting to take of the islands of Ireland and England. The Vikings and the French most notably donated quite a bit to the formation of the English language, but then the English went everywhere else on the crusades and, as a result, assimilated so much.
When you start explaining that to the students, they start to perk up and pay attention. It gets better when you explain how all literature is tied in to sex and they start really listening. All of a sudden, English becomes an interesting subject. And my goal in teaching is that the majority of my students end up leaving my class more interested in the subject than when they started. I think I'm doing OK.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Looking at getting out
Big Guy and I are looking at houses to move into. Between the school issues and other things, we're just not comfortable here anymore and need to get out. The hope is to find a house that someone is willing to sell on a land contract. We talked last night and decided that this is our last year on the lease here.
Our idea is to make a list of what we want in our ideal house and then decide what we are willing to compromise on for a rental. Somewhere in all of this, we'll sort out what needs sorting out and figure out what will make us happy. We went and looked at a rental last night which really cemented our need to get out of here. However, Big Guy doesn't think that we should apply for this particular house and I can see why he feels this way. I've told him that I recognize my impulsivity and I am willing to defer to a less emotion-filled decision maker. But, I also told him I felt we SHOULD apply for the house. I am not going to push that issue though.
With the end of the month approaching, I am grading and preparing for the end of this class. Next month, I am scheduled for Comp II. I'm relieved that this year seems to be going so well, but we do have a few financial details to take care of. Once we do that, my hope is to go back to school for a Master's degree and increase my marketability. I love teaching English at a college level but I need more money and more reliability in this.
Tonight, however, is finals night for my class. I'll be grading and submitting grades tonight, and then I'll hopefully be going home. With class next month, we are going to start figuring out how to improve our situation. Then we're going to do it.
Our idea is to make a list of what we want in our ideal house and then decide what we are willing to compromise on for a rental. Somewhere in all of this, we'll sort out what needs sorting out and figure out what will make us happy. We went and looked at a rental last night which really cemented our need to get out of here. However, Big Guy doesn't think that we should apply for this particular house and I can see why he feels this way. I've told him that I recognize my impulsivity and I am willing to defer to a less emotion-filled decision maker. But, I also told him I felt we SHOULD apply for the house. I am not going to push that issue though.
With the end of the month approaching, I am grading and preparing for the end of this class. Next month, I am scheduled for Comp II. I'm relieved that this year seems to be going so well, but we do have a few financial details to take care of. Once we do that, my hope is to go back to school for a Master's degree and increase my marketability. I love teaching English at a college level but I need more money and more reliability in this.
Tonight, however, is finals night for my class. I'll be grading and submitting grades tonight, and then I'll hopefully be going home. With class next month, we are going to start figuring out how to improve our situation. Then we're going to do it.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
End of Class Obama Love
Some months I feel really on top of the ball, like I've not only conquered the world but tied it all up with a neat, little bow. Other months, I'm glad to see the end of it and if I never have a month like it again, it will be too soon. Then, there are the months that are just blah. They aren't spectacular, but they aren't horrible either. They drag on and close with both myself and the students wiping their brows and sighing in relief. I think this month was close to the last category, not spectacular, not horrible and done.
We watched the State of the Union last night, and, as befits an Obama Fangirl like myself, the man made me give happy, girly sighs when he smilingly threatened the Repubs and promised to end Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Big Guy grumped through it because he hates politics. What else can I expect from a British national though; it's inherent in his blood to hate American politics since we ruined perfectly good tea. In all seriousness, the man said thought he was done with politics once the election was over. There's a part of me that looks at him and says: "Really? And you've been married to me for six years? REALLY?" Little Guy saw Obama, said his name, and then went and played with his cars. Apparently just seeing the President was enough politics for his night.
However, my ADD kicked into gear once the speech started and I got my grading done but completely spaced on the laundry that I needed to get done. Big Guy's job gave him some money to supplement his wardrobe with nicer clothes. As irritated as I am with the way they have treated my husband, at least they gave him money to get some better clothes. I threw the new clothes in the washing machine after the speech and tossed them in the dryer before bed in the hopes that they would smell home-like and be soft and comfortable for Big Guy's day at work. I am not sure the man realizes how much I love him.
Speaking of love, I also got his gifts for Valentine's Day and his birthday next month, though I recognize and accept that they won't hold a candle to my birthday gift from him, The Bioshock 2 Special Edition set. Even typing those words makes me woozy with anticipation. I suspect we'll be going to get it as soon as possible (I'm pulling for waiting in line at Midnight to get m copy). It almost makes turning 31 worth it.
Seriously, if you don't own Bioshock, GET IT. I cannot recommend this video game highly enough, particularly for people who enjoy books like: 1984 or Brave New World. Go, buy it, and know the love that is Rapture.
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