Long Week...Long Month
Ugh. Has it really been close to a month since I've written? It's been a long week. Heck, a long month.
At one of the colleges I teach at, the semester ends in two weeks. We're in what I call "Last Month of the Semester Syndrome" (LMSS). It's a panic/fatigue state that both students and teachers go through. Students are crazily writing papers and studying for numerous tests. Teachers are crazily trying to get all the required tests done, the finals written, and grading all the crap the students are handing in.
When I say "crap," I mean crap. Last weekend I plowed through 70 3-5 page papers that were the worst drivel I have ever seen. What's worse? It got more painful the more I read. It was a simple "write about something you found interesting sort of paper." It's not like it had a complicated theme or I took off points for grammar. I just wanted them to read more about something that interested them. Well, it seems not a single one of these students like anything whatsoever in history. From what I read, it would have been more fun going through a root canal. Then again, at this college, history is a required course.
This sucks for me in more ways than one. It's bad enough that these papers almost made me turn to alcohol to numb the pain. I know these kids like my class. They actually show up, pay attention, and participate. Plus, they've told my boss that they like me. It helps that I tend to be a bit enthusiastic about the subject matter. No, I didn't jump on the desk this semester. My sprained ankle prevented me from doing it. But I had hoped that some of this passion would somehow positively affect them into enjoying history. Oh well.
The Virginia Tech shootings didn't help this week either. The administrations at both of the colleges I work at sent out e-mails encouraging me to talk with my students about what had happened, remind them there are counselling services available, yadda yadda yadda. That's cool, but I teach five classes and I had to go through this in all of them. It gets kind of depressing after a while. Also, I teach a current events class so you know that both my classes with them with week were about the shootings. It's bad enough that this whole thing happened. It's bad enough to hear about how sick and twisted this kid was and how it could've been prevented. It's even worse to wonder if that guy sitting in my class talking to himself constantly is going to pull out a gun and blow my head off because I gave him a 51 on his test.
On a lighter note, I do have an interview for a full-time gig next week. It's for a full-time teaching position at a college. Getting a full-time job will be a blessing. No more working three jobs. I miss having a life. The sucky part? I had to buy a suit today. Me? In a suit? You're looking at the professor who thinks casual day is every day and wears jeans on Fridays. LOL. Well, at least the suit looks nice and I got it on sale.
At one of the colleges I teach at, the semester ends in two weeks. We're in what I call "Last Month of the Semester Syndrome" (LMSS). It's a panic/fatigue state that both students and teachers go through. Students are crazily writing papers and studying for numerous tests. Teachers are crazily trying to get all the required tests done, the finals written, and grading all the crap the students are handing in.
When I say "crap," I mean crap. Last weekend I plowed through 70 3-5 page papers that were the worst drivel I have ever seen. What's worse? It got more painful the more I read. It was a simple "write about something you found interesting sort of paper." It's not like it had a complicated theme or I took off points for grammar. I just wanted them to read more about something that interested them. Well, it seems not a single one of these students like anything whatsoever in history. From what I read, it would have been more fun going through a root canal. Then again, at this college, history is a required course.
This sucks for me in more ways than one. It's bad enough that these papers almost made me turn to alcohol to numb the pain. I know these kids like my class. They actually show up, pay attention, and participate. Plus, they've told my boss that they like me. It helps that I tend to be a bit enthusiastic about the subject matter. No, I didn't jump on the desk this semester. My sprained ankle prevented me from doing it. But I had hoped that some of this passion would somehow positively affect them into enjoying history. Oh well.
The Virginia Tech shootings didn't help this week either. The administrations at both of the colleges I work at sent out e-mails encouraging me to talk with my students about what had happened, remind them there are counselling services available, yadda yadda yadda. That's cool, but I teach five classes and I had to go through this in all of them. It gets kind of depressing after a while. Also, I teach a current events class so you know that both my classes with them with week were about the shootings. It's bad enough that this whole thing happened. It's bad enough to hear about how sick and twisted this kid was and how it could've been prevented. It's even worse to wonder if that guy sitting in my class talking to himself constantly is going to pull out a gun and blow my head off because I gave him a 51 on his test.
On a lighter note, I do have an interview for a full-time gig next week. It's for a full-time teaching position at a college. Getting a full-time job will be a blessing. No more working three jobs. I miss having a life. The sucky part? I had to buy a suit today. Me? In a suit? You're looking at the professor who thinks casual day is every day and wears jeans on Fridays. LOL. Well, at least the suit looks nice and I got it on sale.
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