How has the start of this semester compared with the start of the previous semester? What did you do similarily? Why? What did you do differently? Why?
It is hard for me to start explaining the beginning if this semester. My husband's grandmother passed away the morning that we started back. So I was not present the first four days of school. I went back Friday. I probably should have waited until that Monday. I was very tired and stressed out. I have been playing catch up ever since. Today, was the first day that I feel like I am getting back in the swing of things. I must say I have not done anything similar to first semester. Since I have been back, I started out with higher expectations of my students. I have advised them what I expect as far as organization of their notes and assignments. I hope this will help this semester to go smoother. Last semester I told my third year students that they needed to keep journals of their experiences. I gave them sheets of paper but did not explain that they must keep everything together in a binder. I just assumed they would do this to keep everything together. Boy was I wrong. When they handed in their journals and time sheets, they were a mess. The sheets were folded, messy, food on the papers and they were hard to read. What was I thinking? The end of last semester, told the students to bring a binder to class starting the new semester and we would organize it together. When I got back, I gave them all of the journal papers needed, interview papers (0ne for each of their interviews), and two rubrics to palce in their binder. One to use to grade their journals/binders and the other grading their clinical performance. I will do periodic checks of the binders and the entire binder will be handed in at the end of the semester for a project grade and a clinical grade. I think will really help in the grading process.
I'm so sorry to hear of your loss Tracy. I sensed that you were very stressed at the meeting the other night. Take care of yourself. It sounds like school matters are going a little better. Family comes first!
ReplyDeleteTime will help heal the pain of your husbands and your loss.Your Faith will help also.As far as the students go,they kind of remind me of my high school years.Although through the years I have learned to work harder,my organization skills are still lacking.This is something that I have always seemed to struggle with.It's just seems I to have to work harder to get the same result.
ReplyDeleteTracy, you have my deepest sympathy on the loss of your family member. After my experience this past summer I can only tell you it takes time to grieve. It is a process, but I know you know that being in the health care profession.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you are off to a good start by helping your students organize their journals. The rubrics will be helpful to you as well. Like you, I continue to learn in my teaching that you can't make assumptions. Thank you for your post. Dr. J
Tracy, sounds like you've got a good plan for your students to help them get and stay organized.
ReplyDeleteAs I look around on my desk here at home and all over the floor here, I am thinking I could sure use some organizational help! I have little stacks of papers everywhere for this and that. In your spare time, think you could come over here and help me organize my mess? Ha! Ha! Just kidding! I think what I need to do is get a bulldozier and be done with it.
I'm still trying to stay cool, calm, and collected for this semester. I already know I don't have time to sort through this mess, so I am just going to ignore it. I can't throw anything away just yet because I might need it for something later. Hmmm....maybe that's how it got in this shape in the first place.
We are going to be OK, Tracy. We are on the downhill side now.
This too will pass. I am sorry for your loss Tracy.
ReplyDeleteYou have come a long way with teaching and you are succeeding. Now you are making implements to improve. I hope the wind turns to your back. Take care!