First Day of Classes Fall 2010

The first day of classes has come and gone. I've officially entered my 3rd year as a full-time teacher. Get this year over with, and I'll officially be off my probationary period as new faculty. This semester finds me teaching 6 classes (seems to be typical for my Fall semesters now) and serving as a faculty mentor for a new instructor in the drafting and design program. That's pretty cool I think. I'm surprised (and flattered of course) that the Teaching & Learning Center considers me worthy of being someone's mentor as I've only just completed the process of being mentored myself. It's a two-year commitment, so I guess I'm in it for the long haul.

I had 4 Writing I classes today, and I'm happy to say that none of them seems to be "the one" that every teacher dreads. Of course, it was only the first day, so we'll see what happens on Wednesday when the real work actually begins. The afternoon classes each had 4-6 students absent. Can you believe that they would miss the first day? Oh well, I'm sure several will show up on Wednesday and act surprised that classes started on Monday. My favorite was today when a student told me she wouldn't be able to attend on Wednesday (the second day of classes!) because she had to work. Imagine that! Already missing! Gee whiz. I wonder how she'll make it the rest of the semester. Oh well, not my problem I guess. Just not a very good start to the semester, I'd say.

There were a few students who looked completely clueless. I couldn't tell if they were half asleep, fully asleep, high on something, or if that was their natural appearance (I'm sorry for them if it's the latter). I do have to say that there were several who seemed good natured, smiled, spoke up in class, and seemed normal. Alas, I'm sure everyone left the class thinking that I'm weird and perhaps even a little crazy. So I try to make English fun and lively. Is that so wrong? :-)