First Day of Class

I'm teaching again this summer.UNM has a pretty high acceptance rate, so we get some of the tougher students. Here's a shot taken of me on the first day of classes. I asked the students if anyone had seen the movie "Stand and Deliver"? About half of them raised their hands. Then I picked up the chair and heaved it over their heads across to the back wall where it fell with a clatter. "Well in my class, it's Sit and Shut the f**k up! I usually don't have any trouble with them after that... except for that one guy who caught the chair in his teeth and spit it back at me. He became the teacher's pet.

My Brain Hurts

I've been grading papers from my English 102 students for the past 4 hours. I had to take a break and go to the doctor. Here is live video from the scene....

Using "The Dad Voice" as a Rhetorical Tool: Day 8 as a T.A.

Today was the first day I had to use my "Dad Voice." The classroom was getting a bit too chatty while I was trying to carry on my lesson. After a soft-spoken, "Guys?", I barked out a "HEY!" It worked remarkably well. For those of you who don't know me, I'm 51 years old, bald with a gray goatee and, I'm told, broad shoulders. Also, my natural facial expression tends toward the unhappy. Even when I smile, the corners of my mouth turn down.

In essence, I look like way more of a badass than I'll ever be. The look has served me well over the years and kept me out of many a fight. Being able to add both the "Dad Voice" and "Dad Glare" to my repertoire has helped instill general classroom compliance

I imagine this can be a bit harder for some of the younger TAs -- those who are barely 4 or 5 years older than their students, but this is one of those times in life when being old really does have its advantages.

Last semester, while still an undergrad, I had a chance to talk with one of the other grad student/teachers. I admitted to him my nervousness over teaching. He told me not to worry -- They would take one look at me and know who was in charge.

It's a little like spiders; they're more afraid of you than you are of them.

But, I guess like spiders, if you don't crush them, they can come back to bite you on the ass later.

Teachers....

When I found out that Rick had taught his first English Class at the University level, I was proud of and for him. Not that I thought Rick had reached his lifes dream of being a teacher but just the opposite. I can't think of anything that Rick would rather NOT do than teach class, maybe I'm wrong. Prehaps the years have mellowed the grizzeled writer and he enjoys the banter with young thinkers. My mind drifted to the movie "Conrack" starring a young Jon Voight teaching the children on an island in the south. I always liked that movie and think I should watch the film again. I always liked Rick as well. Bravo, Rick!