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revdorothyl at 09:25pm on 31/08/2005
revdorothyl at 09:25pm on 31/08/2005I'm currently on tragedy and outrage-that-the-poorest-and-most-vulnerable-were-left-to-fend-for-themselves near-overload (the tears won't stop flowing while listening to and watching the news unfold in the wake of Katrina), so here's a totally frivolous personal post, which all right-thinking people should feel free to totally ignore.
As I recall, "Tales of the Five" was the over-all title Diane Duane gave to her first, original adult fantasy series (the trilogy that began with The Door Into Fire), but in this case I'm using it as a literal description of my Introduction to the New Testament course this Fall.
For the first time ever in my experience, I'm teaching a course that's just me and five students (all upperclass-persons, heavy on the Seniors, and no frosh at all) sitting around a single table. It's weird, but I think I'm going to really enjoy it. Already, I know the names and faces of every person in my class!
And what a breeze it is to read through and grade their weekly writing assignments, when there are so few of them. This also seems to make each one of them more conscious of their contribution to the course, and they seem to be making a more thoughtful effort than average for a course of this type.
If they pay me the same for teaching this class as they did for teaching the classes with 27 or 31 students enrolled, I'll just have to thank my lucky stars, and try not to get too used to such luxury (which may never come my way again!).
As I recall, "Tales of the Five" was the over-all title Diane Duane gave to her first, original adult fantasy series (the trilogy that began with The Door Into Fire), but in this case I'm using it as a literal description of my Introduction to the New Testament course this Fall.
For the first time ever in my experience, I'm teaching a course that's just me and five students (all upperclass-persons, heavy on the Seniors, and no frosh at all) sitting around a single table. It's weird, but I think I'm going to really enjoy it. Already, I know the names and faces of every person in my class!
And what a breeze it is to read through and grade their weekly writing assignments, when there are so few of them. This also seems to make each one of them more conscious of their contribution to the course, and they seem to be making a more thoughtful effort than average for a course of this type.
If they pay me the same for teaching this class as they did for teaching the classes with 27 or 31 students enrolled, I'll just have to thank my lucky stars, and try not to get too used to such luxury (which may never come my way again!).
(no subject)
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Thanks for doing your job as chief friend and tail-biter as I try to make it to the finish line on this PhD program!
(no subject)
Enjoy the luxury of five - every. single. day. (as I did the 10; every. single. day.)
*hugs you for good luck*
(no subject)
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How come so few are in an intro class? Is it not a requirement?
(no subject)
It may be due to this being a transition year. My dean told me last year that they were re-vamping the rules so that incoming students would be required to take at least one of their religion courses in their first year (or possibly even first semester), rather than allowing people to postpone all their religion requirements till their senior year, if they wished. The idea was to insist that everyone at least "try it, you might like it" before it's too late for them to explore any interest they might develop during their college career. I know that affected the type and number of courses and sections we're offering this semester, and perhaps all the incoming students (normally a large proportion of intro. course enrollment) are being channeled into courses designed just for them, leaving only the "remnant" of sophomores, juniors, and seniors operating under the old rules to fill classes such as mine.
I know we have a HUGE incoming class, and the whole campus is splitting at the seams (as is the case with so many other private colleges and universities that are trying to stay financially viable), so it's not due to lack of enrollment in the university at large.
And, so far, my five students seem to appreciate just how important it is that they either attend or give me ample notice and a good excuse for their absence. None of them have ever been in such a small class before, either, and I think we're all kind of reveling in the luxury of so much individual attention.