No Computers, Just Chatter.

My former teacher Mr. Wall said it best when he told me in an interview that he turned down a different non-teaching job because "I just want to wake up and deal with students. Doctors have to deal with the sick, and lawyers with jerks; I get to be with students." I still have anxiety each and every new FIRST DAY of a semester, but the students are always so wonderful. I've only just started to meet each class this week, but my first one was in a semi-fancy computer lab, plopped in the basement of a "green" building the campus built not too many years ago. The class is at full capacity, and while not everyone spoke up today, I have a few who felt comfortable enough to speak up when I asked the "question of the day." 

I also have a few students in there who have had me before, and they seemed to be happy to have me again. One might've said I was "the best" teacher, and to her, I might be, and it's not that I need that reassurance; it's truly nice that I've come so far from the teacher I was. And I told them this. I don't want to be adversarial, and I'm not, and it's lead to delightful relationships with students.

In a few minutes, I have a quiet creative writing class (followed by a meeting in the same room). I look forward to not bringing my computer... but sitting with them and chatting. I like using these first interactions to see where some sticky spots might be or who I might need to be concerned about. Most students are motivated learners, and even on the days when they aren't, I like to tease them and be silly. Laughter is great medicine, and eases any kind of tension there is with learning something.

Below is a screenshot of a tweet that I'll possibly use in the creative writing class today; an activity in creating character sketches of letter grades. #personification