Change What Can Be Changed

This post serves as a double update for class last week and this week since I failed to blog last week.

In preparation for last Tuesday, I decided to change the things I could change. So, I scrapped the nine-page reading assignment for the week and revised the syllabus. I felt a lot of relief simply from making those two minor changes. I pulled some examples from another book that I wish was the chosen text and created a grammar and punctuation exercise that opened their eyes more than they had expected. I also gave the students a survey to find out what topics they want more emphasis on and what ways they best learn. And thankfully, we made it the full two hours.

After last week's class, I felt burned out. I wanted a break. None was in sight, so I created one. I didn't begin to work on school work until late Friday night. It made for a bit of a jam-packed prep weekend, but this was the week I was most "excited" about because there seemed to be plenty of material to cover. And though it took a long time to put all the notes and exercises together, it paid off because it was more than enough for this week's class.

So, I'm very grateful to have seven classes under my belt and to have only five more teaching classes left for which to plan. Then, I'm done. This is a one-semester gig. So the teaching updates won't go on forever!

The one thing that I still need to change is my attitude. I dread Tuesdays. Not all of Tuesday, just the part until 5:20 p.m. So, I'm working on adjusting my attitude. It's a work in progress.