Sorry that I don't have kids...

I've recently become quite the broken record.  I didn't mean for it to happen.

Usually it starts with a coworker or friend (or both??) asking me if I had a relaxing weekend.  These days, my response is some variation of the following:  "It was good, but really busy.  I had ____ to grade and ____ to prep, and the dog got me up early."

If the coworker/friend that I am talking with has kids, I *always* follow up with my No-Kids Disclaimer.

You don't know the NKD?  It goes something like this (and always veryveryfast):

I mean, I shouldn't complain 'cause it's not like I have kids so I can't imagine-how-you-do-it!!




I never really mean to use the NKD.  Why do I invoke it?

But it does make me wonder:  do people with kids have their own disclaimer running through their heads?  When you hear someone without kids complaining about not sleeping or being busy, do you thing gee, and you don't even have kids, you lazy nitwit?  

If I was dead....

....I hope my students would be notified in person and not by email.  Or by text.

I mean, seriously.



(although at least I wouldn't have to pay back my student loans or finish all this grading.....not sure which is better!)

A message to all the new professors

It gets better.

Don't get me wrong; it isn't that things get easier.  Professors are still overworked and (especially at PUIs) underpaid.


But it does get better.


When I first started teaching, it took me about four hours (sometimes more!) to prepare a one-hour lecture.  Now my prep time is a third of that.  Sure, the "free" time is now filled with committee work, various meetings, and research.... but that sure beats staring at a textbook, willing everything to fall into place for the morning's lecture.


Today was one of those days where I surprised myself with how efficient I can be.  It's nice to have a measure of how far I've come since my first day on the job.  How do you measure your progress?

I'm going to go hide in my office now....

They're easy to spot.

They need a few minutes of quiet after getting in to work.  They might love teaching, but after a 60 minute lecture or two, they are drained--mentally and physically.  They might prefer to eat lunch alone to get some more energy before the next lecture or meeting.  They need time at home to recharge for the next day.


It's the introverted professors!!


(Raise your hand if you are utterly drained from your first day of classes....and not just because of your workload.)

Be Sure to Put the "U" in Scheduling

There's one truth about me that pretty much tells you everything you need to know:

I truly, deeply, genuinely enjoy writing up my semester's schedules.

I love inputing all the course due dates into my calendar, and I get a teeny, tiny thrill whenever I get my various courses' assignments to align (which takes just a little more manipulation than, say....getting all the planets to align).


But here is something that no one told me when I first started teaching.  You have to put yourself before the schedule.

Rather than just think about placement of assignment due dates--what is best for the students?-- it is important to think about how and when it is best for you to be grading the assignments (or exams).  The primary scheduling criterion I now consider is when will I want (and be able) to efficiently grade assignments.  Do I want to be grading on the weekend?  Do I really want my two different courses to generate 70+ exams at the same time?  Is it best to grade over holiday breaks, or would I rather get the grading done before my days off?

Perhaps these are really obvious considerations, but I sure wish someone had told me to think about ME when I planned out my syllabi schedules!!

My house, my home

I am seriously diggin' me some Young House Love.  I am not a Do-it-yourself-er, but I really like the idea of making my house my HOME---even by the smallest changes.

YHL helps remind me that big changes aren't required to make a big difference.

Hmmm...perhaps I should apply that same mentality to my office?  After all, I'm pretty sure I spend more waking hours in my office than in my home!

At-bat songs for professors

Unfortunately, I've been watching a lot of baseball lately.  While I find the sport rather dull, I think there is one aspect of baseball that would really benefit our students: the at-bat song.

You know that moment when you first walk into the lecture room at the start of the semester?  Think about how many more orders of magnitude of awesomeness it would be if you were accompanied by 10 seconds of "Crazy Train!"


What would be your classroom at-bat song?