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November 26, 2007
It's Like I've Never Been Gone
This morning on the way to school I remembered three very important things:
1) I forgot to grab my state sales tax payment to drop in the mail on the way. It needs to go out today and it's still sitting on the kitchen counter.
2) I forgot my phone. It's plugged in and sitting on my desk. In my office at home.
3) I forgot to brush my teeth.
Despite the fact that all but a teeny amount of my grading got done (and that bit can be finished up tonight), I apparently slipped right back into "I have to teach today I think I'll stress about it" mode. Because all of the above items? Are par for the course this semester.
I've learned to adapt. For instance, I now have a toothbrush and toothpaste in my office. And I'm relying more on little notes for my husband and email (when I can get to it). I just try to not need to make calls during the day. And lots of the other stuff I do without until I have the time to actually deal with it. For instance, I wore my last set of disposable contact lenses for two and a half weeks before I finally had time to order more. And I buy the basic food supplies every time I go to the store because I don't know when the next time I'll have time to go to the store will be.
But this insanity also means that I haven't been to the gym in months. And that I have given up on my morning writing. And I'm not doing any art, though I have supplies out the ass and several unfinished projects that I would very much like to work on, thank you. The care I'm taking of everybody else is better than the care I'm taking of me. And I need to change that.
I'm just not sure how, when the class load I'm teaching next semester is only dropping by one one-credit class. Especially when they will all essentially be new preps again. Because I refuse--refuse, dammit--to teach the only repeats the same way again. So one of the two repeats will have four entirely new texts (and one I used last spring) and the other is being revamped in a major way (same approach to imagination, different focus and more assignments for the students). The other two? I've never taught before.
I think my TA will be getting to do a lot more grading in the spring. A lot more grading.
Posted by sally at November 26, 2007 10:50 AM
Comments
I think TA grading is a good plan, and I think you can repeate texts that you teach a little more than that, unless YOU need not to.
Posted by: fire4hairlady ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.sallyacious.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at November 27, 2007 02:43 PM
Ah, but you see, I can't repeat them. Last spring I hadn't taught this class before. I used the texts that the instructor I took over for was planning to use.
Now I have a better idea of what it's about. And the changes I've made all have to do with local events. The authors of two of the new books we're reading will be speaking on campus next semester. And the play we're covering is being done in town. And I didn't like the "classic" literary text we used, so I'm picking a different one. Plus, I already ordered my books so I have to stick with those now.
They're all good changes, I think. They'll just mean more work for me.
But the TA will DEFINITELY be doing more grading.
Posted by: Sallyacious at November 29, 2007 11:04 PM
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