Almost TOO Enthusiastic

The title here is a comment that was on my evaluations this past semester...in a class for elementary teachers.

Ok - so maybe I am a bit enthusiastic when I teach.  However, I have never viewed this as a negative, and I still won't.  When I helped evaluate other teachers, a comment I would give to some is "if you aren't excited about the material, how can you ever expect the students to be?"  Now, I can't guarantee that my students will be excited about the material I cover, but I CAN guarantee that I will do my best to make it exciting by showing the students how much I love teaching, and teaching this particular material.

I believe that one of the things that I have going in my favor is what I majored in as an undergraduate - Secondary Education with math and speech/drama subjects.  Already having an education background is a very strong asset when teaching at a college (for those that don't know this, you do NOT need a teaching background to teach at a college).  In addition, the speech/drama subject has also helped me - I am somewhat good at "acting" like I know what I'm doing even if I just prepared the material a day (or hour!) before class.  Probably all of my students who only know me from a classroom setting would probably guess that I'm an extrovert.  Well, I'm not really - I can try and act like one.  Is this a bad thing...that I pretend to be an extrovert?  Standing in front of 75 students I'm getting better and better everyday and I think that I may have even convinced myself that I'm an extrovert. 

So maybe my moral of this story is if you want to have a certain characteristic, maybe forcing it on yourself is a good idea.  How else are you going to become more of what you want to be without actually "going through the motions?"  I could list off many things that I want to be better at - being a good mom, drinking more water, eating healthier, becoming more organized, etc.  But until I actually start doing those things, I will never get better at it - they are just empty words. 

When people ask me how I got to be so "outgoing"  I say that the first thing I had to realize is that I can't please everyone and if I try, I'll please no one.  I needed to be comfortable with the person I was first before I could put myself out there.  Have I ever been rejected or hurt?  Oh yes!  Do I regret putting myself out there?  No - this is who I am.  You can take it or leave it.

First days of classes

This semester I am teaching different classes: One section of STA 205 - general education class but also an intro level stat class for a lot of majors like nursing, psychology, and criminal justice. I've taught this class a lot so I'm not really concerned about the content and the first day of class went really well - lots of students were really thinking about what I said and answered question thoughtfully. This is my only female-dominated class (I believe about 80% female - 30 girls, 6 guys give or take one)

I have two sections of my new prep for the fall - STA 213 - second course in statistics aimed at business majors. I have about 60 students in these two sections and have about 15 familar faces, which is nice. Only had one 50 minute class period with them so far, so hard to tell how it will go. I will be expecting more of them, and should be!! (These classes are about 75% male)

I have one section of STA 250 - which is the introductory stat class but is calculus based - so aimed at mathematics, statistics, and computer science majors primarily. Students asked a few questions the first day and I have already had one of these students come by my office and asking questions on the suggested problems! I always think once probability/counting rules are done, this class is down hill from there! It's exciting that we had to open a second section of this class (someone else teaches it at the same time I do) as we have over 50 students in this class. Hopefully we can recruit some stat majors (as it is brand new this year) from this group! (This class is about 70% male)

My first week of classes happened to coincide with B having to go in an hour early all week and he has yet to get off an hour early. Luckily, we haven't been grumpy toward each other this week (yet?) but we're both pretty worn out.

I'm always much happier after this first week - generally my classes are stable at this point (no more suddenly new students and no more checking to see if they have the prerequisites for the class) and everyone knows where they are going. Nothing quite like students parking in our lots and a couple officers directing traffic in the round-a-bout (isn't its point to not have to have someone directing traffic? maybe it's just me :) )

I always dress up for teaching for at least the first week - need to separate myself somehow! Though I have been beginning to notice that I have way too many lower cut shirts - maybe I've noticed this more now that I'm in a lot of male dominated classes? Coincidence? Maybe they'll at least pay attention! Hah!

Has summer begun?

I have really been enjoying my lazy few weeks here. Been coming into work a few days and getting some things done, sometimes playing around and chatting with coworkers.

I have enjoyed getting to stay home with O a few days and get to take him shopping when we feel like it and getting more cleaning done.

I have enjoyed getting addicted to playing Bejeweled in the past week.

But now the reality of starting to teach again on Monday has set in. Five crazy weeks are approaching me. While teaching for 4 hours a day and having 2 hours of office hours and having to do all the planning attached to it, I also get to put a poster presentation together and get up-to-date on statistical education research. Both of these things I have to have accomplished in the next 4 weeks!

When the summer session of teaching is over, I will wonder where it all went. But I am looking forward to it since it will mean it is that much closer to me going back to Nebraska for a visit!