I have a lot of projects to complete, or consider, so I need a spot to think them through. Sort them out. Ponder what they could be. And that’s this space today! Okay, chronologically: Intersession, ENGL 120. This is a condensed 3-week course that starts December 18. HUM 101. The first four weeks of summer, mid-May to early June. Whether this course fills/goes during the summer or not, I’d still like to offer it in the fall online, too. ENGL 220. This course is already in our system, so I’d like to offer it in the fall (HyFlex). INTERSESSION: ENGL 120 Intersession requires the least amount of prep. I do want to really dive into ways the students can get feedback from me and others in that cramped amount of time. Yes, they’re writing a lot, too, and that’s one element that will be intense, but if they feel like they’re getting quality feedback - from me, classmates, Brainfuse, and robots - maybe it’ll reassure them along the way? HUM 101 I’ve started on the HUM 101 - Intro to the Humani...

I don't know where to start with this blog entry. Let's just say a lot has happened since my last entry, and of course, that always chucks me right into reflection mode. So, here are some thoughts I've had about teaching... Why is it that caring more about students has caused me more stress, instead of less, with my peers? If many of the teachers who inspired us WERE NOT JERKS, why do we insist on that attitude with our own students?  Why IS the default to be unkind to students and to share "war stories"? Do they make us feel superior? Is this the only way teachers can bond? Belonging. I shared with some ungrading folks my recent thoughts, and I received lots of support as well as a link to this video which recaps a book on belonging. If I don't feel like I belong on my campus, and I am a white middle-aged lady with progressive stances, it shouldn't surprise me - or others - that some students don't feel like they belong either. Does higher ed, in gen...

I have promised myself many times this semester - and been successful many times - that I should block out “school stuff” and not check email on the weekends. But I have too much on my mind after this last week, especially after a particular Friday meeting, that I need to use writing/blogging as my therapy. So, here’s this thought to begin with: Why is it that making fun of students is the default for some educators? Why am I out in left field - looking like “I’ve gone soft” - with my defense and support of students, no matter their career paths? Why am I not the default? Why are my thoughts not in the majority? I doubt it’s because I’m that much of a rebellious thinker. Here’s another thought: What is the point of our institution and others? To rank and sort or to assist students in learning, no matter their goals or pathways? Sometimes it’ll feel like everyone is on board with the latter statement and talks that talk about “hands on learning” but the minute they have to put it into p...

I’ve dipped myself into too many ponds. Too many social media sites. And I’ve put too much on my plate when it comes to campus obligations. {I’m middle aged; shouldn’t I have balance figured out by now?} I thought I was doing the bare minimum last year, but I wasn’t. I was still too involved in presenting and webinars and the planning of TYCAMW23. I remember, then, in May, I said “no more presentations for a year.”  What does my life, my teaching life, look like with JUST serving on two committees? With ONLY worrying about classes… and not meetings and not new courses and not compiling another textbook and not the future of the college and not concerning myself with what others think of hybrid classes or general education or the Liberal Arts? What does it look like to be a program coordinator who focuses in on JUST caring for those in her department and not trying to adjust the perspectives of others? What would have been different this semester if I would not have had TYCAMW23 or ...

Yesterday, I introduced the email contest to my students, in all three f2f classes (in a row, in the afternoon). Some appeared to listen to my instructions and advice on how to "win" this contest, some were on their devices, and some were talking quietly to each other. I did politely ask everyone to be quiet while I spoke, so I didn't have to repeat myself. But sometimes, they can't help themselves, and I remind myself that I talked during my classes, too, so I am probably giving too much energy to that tiny batch of talkers. Anyhow, I gave the introductions and explained who their judge was for this contest. I read the feedback I'd received from this judge last spring, hoping that would give my current students ideas on what not to do and what TO DO in their writing. I then reminded them, like weeks' past, that there was an Email Packet they could judge for a bonus point. In these packets, I have placed 3-4 student examples - some were created by humans who g...

There was one summer in my past when I randomly searched for lakes within a one hour's drive from Wahpeton (ND), and after discovering that there were quite a few, I went on a quest that summer to kayak on as many of them as possible. I think I ended up floating on at least fifteen lakes that summer, and I might've been able to paddle on more if we hadn't had a sweet old Saint Bernard at home, missing her human companion... Once Saint Sadie left us in the fall of 2018, I used the next summer to take myself somewhere on my own retreat, to get away from "it all" and to kayak on bodies of water beyond the hour zone. That meant, in 2019, I ended up outside of Duluth. The rental cabin was teeny tiny, and it had the ability to be a boat house - that's how much on the water it was. Well, I had brought my own "watercraft," and the entry point to the lake was the dock. There wasn't a shoreline, there wasn't sand, there weren't even slippery rocks...

Tomorrow, around 3pm CST, I’ll be giving possibly one of my last solo presentations for a while. Here’s the abstract/proposed thing: “Exploring the Intersection of Ungrading and Gamification: A Case Study with Diesel Technician Students” Gamification and ungrading are two popular teaching strategies that have gained traction in recent years. While they are typically used separately, this session explores their combination and implementation in a writing course meant just for diesel tech students at a community college. The presenter will discuss how the course structure was built around contests with judges, and how the winners were rewarded with extra points that could be used to bypass certain assignments. Through this unique approach, the presenter observed much more critical thinking on the part of the students’ when considering audience, as well as higher student motivation and engagement and increased focus on learning (winning).