Teaching

Week 1 - Total intimidation. These people are freaking SMART! I have that sense of the imposter syndrome just like when I was working on my PhD. Sooner or later, they will find out that I am not supposed to be here, that I don't belong. What do I possibly have to offer these incredibly talented people?

Week 2 - Technological Frustration. I have so many incredible peices of educational software I could be showing my students. But unlike at my last position, I don't have the freedom to put temporary versions on computers nor to I have the political clout to get them to purchase what I need. How do I regroup and figure out the best way to educate my students within the limitations of what I have?

Week 3 - Unprepared. I just haven't been able to get my head into this class like I need to. I am so blown away by their responses to the discussion board. They are so incredible. I need to put more time and effort into rising to the challenges they present to me. It is hard to do in this incredible place where so many cool personal interests (biking, kayaking, the market, etc) vie for my time.

Week 4 - The Farmer's Almanac. I just had this totally cultural moment when I asked a question about how we forcast the weather before technology. In NC ALL of my students would have chimed in the Farmer's Almanac, for many of them, Doppler Radar, etc. is just a bunch of witchcraft and voodoo and not reliable. Here, they just looked at me and didn't seem to have a clue what I was getting at (i.e there has always been technology). Then I was talking about girls and boys PE. Again, I got the "blank stare look". Apparently, here, they let girls and boys have PE together...who'd have thought????

Week 5 - I am beginning to think that I am not teaching my students anything. I hate wasting people's time. I am leaving for Eugene tomorrow. One of my students said the funniest thing to me. She said to make sure when I went to Eugene to take my bong...that it was a big community of old hippies. I was taken aback and she probably thought I was offended. What she didn't realize is that I was so blown away that my students knew what a bong WAS... I am not sure if I am Alice or Dorothy and I have actually been dropped by the wind storm in OZ.

Week 6 - I sit here in my office and read over the discussion board posts. Maybe I have taught them someone, just a couple of things. They are still so freaking smart. They take the assignments I give them and go so much further with them than I have ever had my students do before. I am so used to teaching apathetic students and I know how to get them hooked on class. It is quite a pedagogical shift for me to think about how to teach students that go so much further than I expect. As a friend once said to me...I have to outthink them, outthinking me.